Staked
by Sailorlight22
Summary: Response to the Kiro pornwar on lj, this is my first attempt at both the fandom and the pairing! Unbeta'd, but I tried like hell
1. Chapter 1

Staked  
By SailorLight22  
Chapter 1 - The Breaking Mask

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Well, I took the prompt thingie, (#3) so I guess I'd better get moving right along. Lol, this is my first Kiro fic, so don't expect too much.. Hopefully I won't fail so very badly as I fear, but you never know.. 

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Hiro stared at his best friend, wondering how he could have possibly managed to live as long as he had. "You did WHAT?" He asked, shaking his head. "Shu, he'll kill you. There's no way he'll go for it." 

The pink haired singer smiled confidently. "Yuki loves me too much to kill me, Hiro! And it's just one little party, how bad could it be?" He bounced on his toes, the thought of the upcoming holiday making him even more hyper than normal.

Hiro sighed. When Shuichi got an idea in his head, nothing short of blunt trauma could get it out, he knew. Still, for the sake of their long relationship, he had to try to avert the oncoming disaster. "Shu, think about this. What do you think Yuki's going to do when he finds out that not only have you planned a party at his house, you've already sent out almost a dozen invitations? You know he isn't exactly social, Shu."

Sighing, he shook his head again. _'Well, at least I tried,'_' He thought ruefully, watching the excited boy careening off the studio walls, oblivious. "So," He said, raising his voice, "Who did you invite, anyway?" 

The boy grinned widely, landing with a thud right in front of his bandmate. "Well, you, obviously. And Ryuichi, Tatsuha, Suguru, Sakano-san...Uh, let me think." he tapped his head. "Oh, yeah! There was Seguchi-san, K, Yuki.." he trailed off, smiling. 

Hiro gaped at him, bursting into laughter. "Shu.. You sent Yuki an invitation to a party at his own house?" Shuichi nodded, bouncing again.

"Of course I did, it would be rude if I didn't invite him!" Hiro sat down, clutching his stomach. Smiling, he couldn't help but feel that maybe Shuichi would get away with this crazy idea. Sure, the novelist he lived with was, in Hiro's opinion, a massive jerk, but he really did seem to love Shuichi.

The thought brought a pang of sadness with it, and his smile faded somewhat. Once, he'd fancied himself in love with his hyperactive friend, but as they grew older, he realized that it simply wasn't meant to be. Later, he'd met Ayaka, but she was so hung up on what she could have had with Yuki that no matter what he did, it never seemed like enough for her. They'd dated a few times, but eventually her interest in him had waned, and he'd let her go without a fuss when she had quietly announced that perhaps they should see other people.

Since then, Hiro had stopped counting the times that he'd sat at home alone, with only his guitar and the TV for company. He knew that he was young, and that people expected him to be living the high life that came with the band's sudden rise to stardom, but it just never seemed like the right time. Even when some of his bolder fans had slipped him their numbers or made blatant advances, he simply smiled and nodded, taking the hastily scribbled notes and throwing them away as soon as he could.

It wasn't that he'd given up, he thought, he was just waiting for someone he could trust. He didn't want to play games with love, he wanted to find someone to settle down with for a while, like Shuichi had done with Yuki. He knew that most people were thinking that he'd be a good catch, with his talent and looks, but he didn't want someone who would only see him as a toy, or as someone to pass the nights with while they looked for something better.

Sighing, he shook himself out of his depressing thoughts. "So, what time's the party, Shu?" He asked, quietly.

Shuichi smiled, making the victory symbol. "It's going to go from 8 to Midnight. Isn't 12am supposed to be the witching hour? I think someone told me that, but I can't remember who. Maybe it was Tatsuha, you know he talks about some of the weirdest stuff sometimes. Or maybe it was Ryuichi, he talks a lot too! It might have.." Hiro sighed, tuning him out as he continued to rant, unawares.

Glancing out the window, he noticed that it was already afternoon. "Hey," He said, cutting off Shuichi's ongoing tirade, "Where's Suguru anyway? Shouldn't we be practicing or something?" Shuichi stared at him, lost.

"Suguru..? Oh, Sakano-san said he called in sick this morning. It's just us today!"

Hiro frowned at him. "And you just forgot to mention this? Damn, I could have slept in.." He stood, picking up his guitar case. "Well, if there's nothing for us to do here, I'm gonna go home." He said, heading for the door. Just as he reached for the knob, the door flew open with a resounding crash, the wall behind it cracking with the force of the blow.

Hiro backed up, tripping over a chair as he stumbled away from the grinning form of the band's blonde manager, falling flat on his ass. "What the FUCK, man!" He cried, holding his aching rear. "Why do you always have to do that, K?" He demanded, scrambling to his feet indignantly. Behind him, he could hear Shuichi's barely stifled snorts, glaring at him briefly before turning his attention once again to the still-smiling American.

K raised an eyebrow at his pained expression, shaking his head. "How do you expect to dodge your fans if you can't dodge a simple door, Hiro? You need to be more alert." Leaning around the fuming guitarist, he spoke to Shuichi. "Got your invite, by the way. Great idea, Halloween is a great time to let yourselves go a little. Are you going to tell lover boy about it beforehand?"

Shuichi nodded. "I sent him an invitation! I even put on lipstick so that I could leave a kiss on the envelope!" K stared at him for a second, then chuckled.

"Right. Anyway, the invitation said it was costumes only, huh? What are you going to be?"

The singer thought, pursing his lips. "I don't know yet. I want to do something with Yuki though. It would be so fun to dress up in matching outfits, or go as a famous couple!" He went on, but K had already shifted his attention to the still frowning redhead. 

"How about you? Any plans, or are you just going to wing it?" Hiro glared mutinously.

"I'm not telling you. I might just go as myself." He turned, making his way out the door. Calling back over his shoulder, he bid Shuichi farewell, ignoring the friendly wave K directed at his back. _'Stupid jerk,'_ He thought, rubbing his injured..dignity. _'Who just busts in like that? Just because he's good looking doesn't make him smart, that's for damn sure.'_ Freezing, he ran his thoughts over in his mind. "I did NOT just think that!" He growled, irritated with himself.

Shaking his head, he left the building. As he walked to his motorcycle, he wondered idly about the party. _'I don't know what I want to go as,'_ He thought, climbing on and revving the engine. Leaving the parking lot, he headed in the direction of his apartment, noticing several shops advertising their costumes as he passed by. _'Maybe I'll take a look later.'_ He mused, stopping at a red light. Waiting for it to change, he allowed himself a moment to smile at the thought of Shuichi dragging Yuki through the shops. 

Smirking, he shook his head. _'Like he's really going to dress up.'_ He snorted at the image of the stoic writer in one of Shuichi's ridiculous getups, what he wouldn't give to see the expression on the man's face when he got his invitation..! The light changed, and he drove the rest of the way to his home laughing at the idea of his friend's unbelievable idiocy. 

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K sighed, waving at the night watchman as he made his way to the studio exit. Crossing the street, he bought a newspaper at the magazine stand, leaning against a lightpole as he flipped boredly through it, looking for anything of interest. Finding almost nothing worthy of notice, he folded the paper under his arm, returning to the parking lot. 

Opening the door of his car, he dropped the paper into the passenger seat, sinking tiredly into the vehicle. _'What the hell am I doing?'_ He thought, closing his eyes as he leaned back. _'Instead of thinking about some party, I should be trying to find that bitch I married..'_ He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Only a few people knew, but almost a month before, his precious wife had quite suddenly decided that she needed 'her space', sending him a Dear John letter enclosed with a stack of legal paper's cementing her decision. The thing that bothered him was the last document, a contestation of custodial rights. His loving spouse had quickly and ruthlessly attested to the fact that he was a habitually absent parent, naming his as a danger to their child's 'developing self image'. What that meant, he couldn't tell. The fact of the matter was, he'd been stripped of his parental rights, pending a court hearing to review his fitness to be a part of his son's life. 

Judy had taken their son, disappearing into the woodwork with alarming success. Even after several days of frantic phone calls, numerous threatening conversations, and one heated discussion with his in-laws, he was unable to locate either his estranged spouse or their son. His soon-to-be-ex relations had assured him that Michael was being cared for, and that when Judy agreed to speak with him, they'd let him know. He'd uttered a few choice statements, and promptly hung up.

He'd spent several night awake, wondering how things had come to this. Sure, he had been gone for a long time, but she'd never said a thing. He assumed that everything was fine, then she'd done this. With a little thought, he realized that he wasn't upset, for the most part. The knowledge that Judy had left him paled in comparison to the loss of his child, and he had taken a moment to think about that. He'd come to the conclusion that perhaps a divorce wasn't a bad idea.

He knew that he was fond of his wife, hell, he'd loved her enough to marry her, hadn't he? But when he thought of her now, he couldn't remember exactly why he'd stayed with her for so long. Was it only for Michael? Somewhere along the way, they had grown apart, with the phone calls and letters tapering off to an uneasy silence, sometimes weeks or longer passing between them. K had realized then that he must have lost her a long time ago, but hadn't noticed it until it was far too late.

He growled, fastening his seatbelt. _'Thinking about it isn't going to do anything,'_ He started the car, heading for the nearest liquor store. _'I think I'll pay a visit to my old buddy Jack..'_ he mused, pulling up to the curb outside the store. Entering the building, he made his way to the right aisle, selecting a bottle quickly and heading to the register. After paying, he thanked the clerk, who smiled and nodded a silent good evening.

Returning to his car, he laid the bag next to his paper, continuing on his way home. Several blocks later, he saw a large ad for a specialty costume sale. Sighing, he decided to take a look around later. The thought of the singer's impromptu get together made him smirk. _'Poor Shuichi,'_ He thought, _'That boyfriend of his is going to go batshit when he finds out about that party. I hope he doesn't kick him out, he's late often enough as it is.'_

Pulling up to his house, he parked the car, gathering his things and exiting. He opened his door, turning on the lights before checking his answering machine. As he'd expected, there were no messages. He walked to his bedroom, digging into his closet for several minutes before deciding on a more comfortable outfit. He sighed, entering the adjoining bathroom. He removed his shirt and tie, dropping them into the hamper before starting the shower. He pulled the rubber band out of his hair, combing through it with his fingers as he turned to regard his reflection in the mirror.

_'Well, at least I'm not ugly,'_ He thought, shaking his head. _'I don't think I look too bad for my age, anyway..'_ He snorted, thinking of some of the people he'd known in the States._'Bet I'm looking better than at least half of them.'_ He took off the rest of his clothes, putting them in the hamper before stepping under the stinging spray of the water. Hissing at the heat, he turned his back, the weight of his wet hair distracting him as he adjusted to the temperature.

Quickly, he washed himself, saving the chore of his hair for last. Working a palmful of shampoo through the weighty length, he groaned at the pins-and-needles feeling that resulted from keeping it pulled up so much. _'Maybe I should just cut it off,'_ He thought, but dismissed the idea. While caring for long hair was sometimes annoying, he didn't really mind it, and the style suited him. _'I wonder if Hiro has any trouble with his, it's pretty long too. Nice though..'_ He mused, ducking under the spray to rinse out the soap.

He spluttered, inhaling water as he gasped a curse. _'Why am I still thinking about him?'_ He wondered, shaking his head. _'He's just a kid.'_ He stepped back, turning off the water before wringing out his hair. He reached for a towel, wrapping it around his head as he grabbed a second for his body. Drying himself, he pulled on the clothes he'd chosen, a T-shirt and well-worn jeans. He removed the towel on his head, shaking his damp hair out as he grabbed a new rubber band and his comb, turning off the light before leaving the room.

Returning to the living room, he sat on the couch, gathering his hair over one shoulder as he began to comb out the snags. After he'd managed to untangle it somewhat, he decided against pulling it up again. His scalp still ached slightly, and he didn't feel like dealing with a headache. Sighing, he retrieved his bottle, carrying it to the kitchen in search of a glass. He took a large one from the cabinet, tossing a couple of ice cubes in for good measure before returning to his seat, flipping on the television.

Switching channels, he saw nothing of interest. Settling down, he left it tuned to one of the many horror films airing on cable for Halloween. "Might as well be a damned vampire myself," He mumbled, staring boredly at the screen as he opened the alcohol, pouring a decent amount into the glass. "God, I'm talking to myself, I must be losing it." He smirked, taking a sip of his drink. "Poor old Winchester, off his rocker with grief, left alone in his dotage.." He leaned back, swinging his legs up comfortably.

Just as he'd finished his drink, the phone rang, jarring him out of his thoughts. He leaped up, grabbing the receiver. "Hello?"

For a moment, there was nothing, then he heard a horrendous screech and several rapid crashes. Holding the phone away from his ear, he yelled. "What the hell is this? Shuichi, is that you?" The scream had sounded familiar, and he figured it must be the singer.

"K! You gotta help me!" The teen screeched again, his voice piercing. "Please don't let him kill me! I promise, I'll never be late again, tell him not to do it!"

K sighed. "So, Yuki got his invitation?" There was a heavy pounding in the background, and after a minute the boy whispered.

"Yeah, I didn't think it would come until tomorrow. He said he's going to.. Well, I didn't understand the first part, because we don't even _HAVE_ a blender, but the middle sounded pretty bad. The part at the end was something about a hundred times worse. What'll I do?!"

K stared at the phone. "You..You mean you actually mailed the invitation? Why..Nevermind. What do you expect me to do, Shuichi? Shoot him? Just let him do whatever and get it over with."

The noise rose to astonishing levels as the singer wailed. "I can't! If I let him in, he's going to.. _Ha, you can't do that Yuki, there's no way the toaster's going to fit up there!_" He said, abruptly. After a second, he came back on the phone. "What do I do, K? Yuki's out there with a vegetable peeler, please don't let him get meeeee!"

K sighed, massaging his temple. "Shuichi, I don't know what to tell you. Why don't you let him calm down a little, and then get Hiro to pick you up or something? I'm sure it'll all blow over by tomorrow."

The teen sobbed, snuffling noisily. "I already tried, but Hiro said there's no way he's coming over here until Yuki stops talking about that other stuff. Hey, do you know what cauterization is, K?" 

He groaned. "What does that have to do with anything, Shuichi?"

The singer whimpered. "That's why Hiro wouldn't come get me. Yuki got on the extension and said that he was gonna do that to my.." He screamed, blubbering amidst several more thuds, ripping sounds and random curses. After a minute or so, there was heavy breathing on the other end, and K sighed again. 

"Hello? Shuichi, are you still there?"

The disgusted voice of the boy's lover replied, annoyed. "No, the little shit went out the window."

K gasped. "But...You live in a highrise! What the hell is he planning to do, fly?!" 

Yuki growled. "He'd better fly, because when I get through with him, he's going to be too sore to walk. If you'll excuse me, I have some things I need to sharpen.." The phone clicked. 

K blinked at the buzzing receiver, hanging up with a tired chuckle. "God, those two.." He mumbled, returning to the couch for a refill. He stretched out again, taking a long drink. "Maybe he'll get lucky. As high up as they are, he'd have a while to practice flapping."

He snickered at the mental image, finishing his drink in one gulp. _'I still can't understand how someone like Hiro could be friends with someone so.. Shuichi.'_ He thought, shaking his head. _'He doesn't yell, or throw tantrums.. Hell, he's certainly intelligent enough..'_ He bolted upright. "What the hell is wrong with me today? The next time I see that kid, I'm going to shoot him for taking over my brain!" He muttered, frowning.

Standing up, he put the half-empty bottle on the kitchen counter, switching off the lights before heading to bed. _'I guess I really am getting too old for this,'_ He thought, stretching out on to of the comforter. _'I don't even feel like changing..'_ He closed his eyes, slipping into an uneasy sleep.

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Hiro groaned, his hair fanned out against the white cotton pillowcase. Opening his eyes, he stared blankly at the ceiling, his breath coming in harsh pants as he tried to forget the dream that had awakened him. Again.

He'd never had a dream like that, so real that it was frightening.

In his dream he'd been lying in this very bed, sheets tangled against his back as he'd clutched the body above him, his legs wrapped tightly around very familiar, very male, hips. Even with the man's face buried against his neck, there was no mistaking the long strands of blonde hair that had fallen forward to brush his shaking arms, tickling his damp skin with their owner's every move. 

Hiro remembered the sound of his voice, ragged with pleasure as he'd begged for more.. Shuddering, he rubbed his eyes, forcing the memories away as he sat up. "This is all his fault.." He grumbled, shaking his head. "He's too old to look like that, it should be illegal. Stupid jerk."

Standing up, he walked to the closet, taking out his usual jeans and T-shirt. Ignoring his almost painful state of arousal, he quickly dressed for work, pulling his fingers through his hair as he entered the bathroom. Washing his face, he stared at himself for a moment, frowning at the redness in his cheeks. "Stupid jerk." He repeated, grabbing a brush and pulling it roughly through his hair.

Turning off the lights, he walked to his kitchen, making a quick bowl of cereal for breakfast. He ate distractedly, feeling as if he'd be better off staying home. Putting the empty bowl into the sink, he picked up his jacket and keys, locking the door behind him on his way out. 

Realizing that he was a little early work, he took his time, glancing again at the shops from before. _'I'll stop by on the way home,'_ He thought, _'If Yuki hasn't killed Shuichi yet, anyway.'_

Pulling into the studio lot, he parked next to a familiar black car. _'Why is Yuki here?'_ He wondered, walking to the front door. Shrugging, he reached for the handle. Like deja'vu, the door flew open, slamming against the outside wall. Hiro yelled, stepping off the curb, his ankle twisting painfully. Just before his rear was reunited with the ground, a hand grabbed his arm, jerking him up roughly. Bouncing off of a white-shirted chest, he cursed at his laughing 'savior'.

"Dammit! Let me open a door, just once! What the hell is wrong with you?! First you keep me from sleeping, and then you try to knock me out to make it better?" He glared up, jerking his arm away. "Is there some odd ass American custom that says you have to give someone a heart attack at least twice a week or you'll go to hell? God!"

K stared down at him, his amusement fading as he continued to rant.

"This isn't some police raid, or one of those stupid search and destroy missions! Why the hell can't you just open the door, like a normal person? Do you have some deep seated need to intimidate random wooden objects, or is it just a personal goal to break as much shit as possible before you're 40?"

The man blinked, protesting. "Hiro.."

"Shut up! Don't say anything, not one word!" The guitarist snarled. "I can't believe that you never learned how to do something that simple! And shooting at people! Quit that shit too, because it isn't even scary anymore! You're such an asshole!" He shoved his way past the startled blonde, stomping to the elevator as he continued to mutter under his breath. "Crazy jerk.. Always crashing around like some big retarded ape.. As if there weren't enough reasons to stay in bed already.."

K stared after him, wide eyed.

The elevator chimed, and with a final glare at his manager, he entered. Stopping on the studio floor, he strode out, grumbling to himself as he approached the door. Opening it, he froze.

Shuichi sat on the edge of the table, most of his clothes missing, his arms and legs wrapped around his suspiciously rumpled lover. With a startled squeak, he pulled back, staring at his friend. "H-Hiro! We were, ah, I mean, Yuki was just dropping me off! Wow, you're early. Isn't it early, Yuki?" He laughed nervously. "Gosh, you'd better go! We should practice or something, Suguru's probably here too!" 

Hiro closed his eyes, trying to hold his temper. "Please..Please tell me you don't do this every time you get here before I do. Dammit, I've had lunch here! You remember, slightly left of where your ass is!" He turned, shaking his head. "I'm going home. Tell whoever asks that I think I'm going to be sick." 

He slammed the door, ignoring Shuichi's gasp. He stormed back to the elevator, viciously punching the call button. A second later, the doors opened, leaving him face to face with the unwitting source of his wrath. "Fuck! It's a conspiracy, it has to be!" He stepped inside, glaring straight ahead.

K frowned at him, still confused at the boy's earlier outburst. "Are you always so loveable in the morning?" He said, shaking his head.

The guitarist ignored him.

"Does it hurt, Hiro? If it's that bad, take it out and relax." He muttered. Hiro whirled, stepping close as he glared.

"What are you talking about? Some new bullshit, or are the voices in your head taking over now?" K leaned down, invading his space.

"I was just wondering if the stick was bothering you. You know, the one you've got up your ass."

Hiro choked, grabbing the taller man's shirt. "Screw you! If there was something up there, why the hell would it be your business? Why don't you go get yourself a nice cup of shut the fuck up, K? Or better yet, get some ass. Then you won't have time to worry about what I do or don't have in mine!" He snapped, shoving the other man away.

K jabbed the elevator's stop button, jerking him back around. "You need to watch that mouth, Hiroshi." He warned, softly. "Not everyone's as patient as I am." Hiro jerked his arm, shoving the blonde again.

"Let go of me! I swear, you've got three seconds until I forget that you're twice my size, K." He clenched his hands, his nails cutting into his palms.

"I'm seriously debating a career change, Hiro." K replied, his voice still low. "And I've already got one kid to worry about. So unless you want everyone in the building to see you get your perky little ass whipped, I suggest that you think really, really hard about the next words out of your mouth."

Hiro scoffed, smirking up at him. "Yeah, we know. I'll bet you're an excellent role model. Do you have these little talks with your son when he says something you don't like?" 

He gasped, dropping the boy's arm. "Don't ever say that again. Not ever." He turned away, shaking his head. "I never thought you'd stoop that low, Hiro."

Hiro laughed. "Whatever, man. You don't know anything about me, not one damn thing."

K turned back around, staring at him in disbelief. "Nothing? Who do you think you're talking to, kid? I know everything there is to know about you. Don't assume that everyone's family is like yours, Hiroshi. Just because your father can't respect your choices doesn't mean that I don't respect my son's!"

Hiro slapped him, rocking his head back with the force of the blow. "I'll _kill_ you! _I'll fucking kill you!_" He screamed, launching himself at the shocked blonde. "Who do you think you are? Don't you dare talk about my family, you stupid prick! My family wants me to be a doctor because they think I'll end up bumming in the street if I stay here with the band, but I made my choice, and now I'm sticking with it!"

He shook him by the collar, viciously. "If I can't be what they want me to be, I'm sure as hell not going to fail at this! They're afraid for me, you idiot! Don't you worry about your family?" His voice cracked, shrill with anger. "I'm not going to disappoint them, because they're all I have!"

K stared at him, his anger replaced with concern. "Hey, Hiro.. It isn't that bad, calm down. I'm sorry, ok?"

The guitarist shook his head, near hysteria. "_It's not ok!_ I came here to do something for myself, and for them, and what do I get?" He laughed, humorlessly. "Let's review! First, there's my best friend, who can't get his emotionally constipated lover out of his ass long enough to do his job! Then there's our delightful prodigy, who doesn't want to be here, unless he can get some wood from one-upping on his own cousin!"

Shaking his head, he stepped back. "And it gets better! We've got a neurotic clown handling our business, a narcissistic freakjob running the show, and a big-name star skipping around like Little Lord Faunterloy, trailing a repressed homosexual delinquent monk behind him like a streamer!" He looked up at the blonde.

"And to top it all off, we've got a hot-as-hell homicidal maniac with entirely too much hair for a manager! Jesus, with all that going for us, how could we possibly fail?"

He gasped, slapping his hands over his mouth. K gaped stupidly down at him, floored by his rant. "Hiro.. I really am sorry. I didn't think.."

The redhead closed his eyes, his hands still clenched at his sides. "Just let it go, K. I told you, you don't really know me." He laughed dryly. "I don't think anybody does. Hell, I don't even know me, I'm never like this." He pressed the resume button, feeling drained. "I'm sorry too, that I made that crack about your kid. Things have been getting a little out of hand, stuff's starting to pile up. I never say things like that, that isn't me." He shook his head. "I thought screaming and raving was supposed to make you feel better, but that's not right. Everything I said, it's still there, underneath. I don't feel any different than I did before, I still need to get out of here before I lose it."

K nodded slowly. "Yeah, that might not be such a bad idea. You know, Hiro.. You really are pretty good at hiding that inner wildman." He reached out, awkwardly patting the young man's shoulder. "Don't you have anyone that you could talk to about that stuff? Not a therapist or anything, just someone who would listen, someone you trust?"

Hiro shook his head, tensing. "No. I'm not a kid anymore, so I try to deal with my problems like an adult. With all the band stuff, I don't really have time to get close to people right now, so making and new friends is pretty much a bust. As far as trusting.." He frowned, shaking his head again. "It isn't that I don't trust anyone, it's more that I don't want to put my problems in someone else's lap. The people I do know and trust are all in the same boat, K. Busy, with their own issues to handle. It wouldn't be right for me to expect them to drop everything and listen to things like that, things that they really couldn't change." 

The door chimed, showing that there was only one more floor to go before the ground level. K looked down at the silent teenager, not ready to simply ignore what had happened. "Hey, you're leaving, right? Going anywhere in particular?" Hiro looked up, surprised.

"Yeah, I gotta get away from here. I thought about going home, but if I do that, I'll just end up dodging Shu. There's no way he won't come over as soon as he gets the chance. We..Well, I said some things that I probably shouldn't have. You know how he is when he gets upset, he'll moan to Yuki about it for a while, then he'll be right there beating down the door." He smiled thinly. "I'm really not up to dealing with that right now. I don't know where else I could go, but I'll find something." 

Thinking quickly, K wondered if he should just let him go. The way he'd acted before, it was hard to know if another blow-up was imminent, but he didn't feel right about the entire situation. Something was very wrong in Hiro's life, that much was obvious. Wasn't it his job to make sure that the band as a whole was doing well? He made up his mind.

"I actually know of a place, kinda out of the way, quiet, you know. Maybe it would help you get your head clear, wanna go?" He asked, keeping his voice casual. "It isn't all that far, but not too many people go there during the day. It might not be much, but it's pretty close to where you live, if you don't like it."

Hiro looked at him dubiously, and K was sure that he was going to say no. After a couple of seconds, he nodded, a little wary. "Sure, why not? It can't be any worse than being trapped in an elevator with a maniac." He smirked. "If you want, I'll drop my bike off at home, and you can drive the rest of the way."

K graciously overlooked the 'maniac' comment in favor of his suggestion. "Sounds good to me. I'll just follow you out, then." He bowed towards the doors, indicating that the other should exit first. The guitarist stared at him oddly, but said nothing. "You know, age before beauty and all that."

Hiro looked over his shoulder at him. "Well, I guess that means you won't be getting off for a while, huh?" Snorting, he left.

K thought about that statement for a moment, almost missing the chance to get out as the doors started to close. "Hey, I think I've been insulted.." He grumbled to himself. "Huh, kids these days. No respect for the elderly." 

Hiro's low laughter came back to him, and he shook his head. Crossing the lobby, he pushed open the door, walking out in to the early afternoon sunlight. Squinting, he spotted the guitarist about to leave. "See ya in a bit, then." He called, walking to his car. Hiro waved back, acknowledging him. Smirking to himself, he wondered exactly what he was trying to accomplish with this.

_'You'd think I was worried,'_ He thought, starting the engine. _'But wow, I never would have guessed that he was hiding a temper like that..'_ Pulling out of the parking lot, he drove towards the guitarist's apartment, still wondering if this was a good idea. He parked at the curb, waiting for Hiro to come back. After a few minutes, he saw him and unlocked the passenger side door.

Hiro sat down, buckling his seatbelt. Glancing curiously at the blonde, he waited for him to speak. After several seconds of nothing, he huffed impatiently. "So, where is this place?" He asked, bluntly. K chuckled.

"It's just a little place I found when I was bored," He said, eyes on the road. "You should know that I'd check out my client's neighborhood, Hiroshi." The teenager snorted.

"More like stake out the place. Do you really think that someone's going to kidnap us? After twenty minutes of Shu, they'd be calling you, begging someone to please come get him before they shoot themselves." They both laughed at the thought of a pleading kidnapper trying his hardest to get away from the pink-haired singer's whines.

K nodded, smirking. "You got me there. I like the kid, but man, he can get a little annoying after a bit. Has he always been like that?" Hiro nodded.

"Even when we were in school, he did that stuff. Shu never changes. It's actually one of his good traits, you can always depend on him to be undependable." He shook his head. "I still can't believe that Yuki didn't kill him for this whole party fiasco."

K laughed, turning off the highway. "Yeah, I got a laugh out of it though. He called last night, said you wouldn't come get him because Yuki was on the warpath. Last I heard, he went out the window." He parked, turning to face the snickering redhead. "Well, this is it. C'mon, it's time to get in touch with nature."

Raising an eyebrow, Hiro hopped out, looking around. There was a moment of silence. "Whoa," He breathed. "I never knew this was here, how the hell did you manage to find it?" The small gravel parking area halted at the edge of a long stretch of grass, the open field covered thickly with trees of all kinds. Though cherry and red maple were prevalent, there were also many more, even a few spruce and pine trees here and there. The effect was one of peace, overall an inviting place.

He walked to the gate around the lot, swinging it open. "You coming?" He asked, looking back at the older man. He looked mildly surprised, but nodded.

"Yeah, be right with you." He locked his doors, and followed the guitarist through the gateway. Pointing, he showed him a spot that he'd visited before. "That's a nice place," He said, "If you like shade and quiet, it's for you." Hiro nodded, changing direction. Reaching the base of a large maple, he sat in the grass, stretching his legs out as he leaned on his elbows.

"Nice. Do you come here a lot?" K shook his head, settling down nearby. 

"Just a few times, when I needed to think about some stuff. I don't know why more people don't come here during the day, it's a good place to get some air. There's more in the evenings, though." He snorted. "I guess people think it's a good spot for dates, since you can have your privacy." Hiro laughed, nodding.

"I'll bet. With all this 'shade', it would take a PI to find you in here after dark." He sighed, lying back, crossing his ankles. For a while, neither one spoke. Then, K cleared his throat, drawing a grunt from his companion.

"So, feel like talking about it? I might not be the best, but it doesn't take a genius to see that you aren't up to speed today." Hiro sighed, closing his eyes.

"I don't know why today started off so bad. I didn't really expect it to be like that, but one thing led to another, you know? The worst thing about it was that I've never just blown up that way before, not that I can remember. Everybody must think I've gone nuts.." He snorted quietly. "Hell, even the ice king looked surprised. I shudder at the thought, but he might not be as stupid as I'd thought he was. He knew enough to keep Shu from following me, at least."

K nodded. "Yeah, he's an asshole, but Yuki isn't retarded. He might act like a jerk, but I think he does care for Shuichi. If he didn't, I'd have shot him months ago for holding up our schedule." He glanced at the redhead casually. "And what do you mean, I don't let you sleep? I don't remember ever having to wake you up, that's always been Shuichi's problem area."

Hiro jumped, his face red. "Nothing, forget that. I was just mad and mouthing off, I didn't mean half of what I said."

K stared at him, frowning. "Uh huh. Well, I hope that goes for the stupid prick and killing me part too. I didn't mean anything was wrong with your family, really. I just don't like the idea of parents mistreating their kids. Life's too short for people to treat their children like extensions of themselves, in my opinion." He shook his head. "I understand that you want to make them proud of you, Hiro. All kids want the approval of their parents, but at the same time, you need to be happy with yourself."

Hiro blinked at him. "Wow, you almost sound smart. Don't tell me there's something you know besides how to fire off a warning shot?" The American scowled at him.

"Watch it, man. My brain's big enough to hold all kinds of goodies." He laughed suddenly. "I really am sorry about this morning though, and yesterday. I can't help being that way, just busting in. I never really paid much attention to it.. I wouldn't have hit you though.. I don't think." Hiro glared at him.

"Right. I'm totally reassured by your concern. At least we have good insurance." He shook his head, fighting a smile. "It is funny sometimes, though. That one time, when you jerked the door open on Shu and Yuki because you thought someone was choking was hilarious. I can't believe Yuki just sat there with his pants around his knees while you were shooting those rubber bullets at him, Shu was hysterical thinking you were gonna blow his nuts off." K snorted.

"Yeah, I'm not sure if Yuki's just that damn cool, or if he was too scared to shit." They laughed, remembering the singer's horrified shrieks and the author's stoic huff at the interruption. Finally, Hiro wiped his eyes, sighing.

"Thanks, really. I needed to let off some steam." K nodded, waving absently.

"No problem. You shouldn't let things bottle up like that though. If you're all tensed up, you won't be able to work, and then I might have to take steps to relieve your stress."

Hiro gasped, sitting up as he began blushing fiercely. The older man turned, staring at him. "Hiro? What's wrong now?" The youth shrugged, his face averted.

"I thought there was a bee.." He mumbled. "I hate those things, you know how it is."

K smirked, skeptical. "Yeah, sure. Big bad star, afraid of an inch long bug with attitude. God, the scandal." He rolled his eyes, ignoring the teen's annoyed growl. "Besides the obvious falsity of that statement, is there anything else bothering you? Anything I can help with, anyway?" Hiro gulped, shaking his head.

"No! I mean, it's nothing, I think I just need some rest or something. I'm..Not sleeping well lately, nightmares and whatever. It'll pass, really." He stood, stretching his back. "Well, I appreciate the trip, K. I think it would be cool to go home now, if you don't mind. Maybe I'll come back here sometime, it's really a nice place." The blonde also stood, brushing his pants off.

"I told you, it's no problem. I'm glad you liked it though. It's not much, but it's better than sitting at work stewing on your problems. C'mon, I'll drop you off." He started toward the gate, but the guitarist lagged behind slightly. "Hiro?" He asked, staring back over his shoulder. The redhead jumped, falling into step just behind him.

"Sorry, I was thinking. Let's go." K shrugged at him, continuing to the exit. As he walked, Hiro's eyes strayed almost painfully back down to his rear, watching with almost fascinated intensity as the maple leaf currently stuck to his pants twitched in time with his unhurried stride. _'God, what's wrong with me?!'_ He thought, following the leaf's movements raptly. _'One damn dream for a couple of weeks, and I'm checking out a guy that could tie me in a knot if he caught me.. I must be losing my mind..'_

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They spent the drive back to Hiro's in companionable silence, each lost in his private musings until K pulled up beside the front walk. "Well, think you'll be all right by tomorrow?" He asked, turning to look at his passenger. Hiro nodded, smiling slightly.

"Yeah.. I think so. Just tell anyone who's still there that I'm feeling bad, or something. I'll talk to Shuichi later, so it won't be a big scene in the morning." He opened the door, unbuckling himself. "And by the way... What I said about our little group, I actually meant the last part, in case you were wondering. Bye!" He slammed the door, bolting up the walk as the blonde gaped at him in surprise. 

"The hell..?" He mumbled, watching the guitar player dash up the steps. "Did he just say what I think he said, or am I really going senile?" He shook his head, grinning. "Well, at least someone thinks I'm...WHAT?!" He slammed on the brakes, ignoring the horns blasting behind him at his sudden halt. "Holy Father Hasselhoff, he just called me hot! _Twice!_" 

Hearing the screech of tires, Hiro quickened his pace, darting into the building before the older man could decide to hurry him along with a few rounds from his trademark Magnum. Clutching his chest, he laughed weakly at his own foolishness. _'Jesus, I really am going insane,'_ He thought, walking up the stairs to his door. _'If I live to see 20, it's going to be a miracle!'_

He unlocked his door, toeing off his shoes at the welcome mat before crossing the room to flop onto the couch. He sighed in relief at being home, away from the pace of the studio, even for a day. "He's right, though," He mused out loud, "I really can't keep putting myself through this shit. Nothing is going to change if I don't get over what everyone at home thinks of me."

Shaking his head, he smirked. "Great, now I'm not only having wet dreams about a maniac, I'm actually thinking of taking his advice. Not to mention talking to myself about it." Sighing, he sat up. "Ah well. As long as I have the free time, I might as well slack to the max." He stood, walking to his bedroom. Shedding his clothes, he pulled on a pair of comfortable sleeping pants before sprawling on the bed.

Burying his face in the cool pillow, he snorted. "Now, let's see if I can actually get some rest, without sharpshooting bigmouthed Americans jumping in.." He dozed, shifting every so often as the familiar feeling of his bed lulled him into relaxation. Gradually, he fell fully asleep, his breath coming deep and regular as he began to dream... 

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He felt the warmth first, the sensation of phantom hands on his skin.. Sighing, he leaned into the caress, knowing that he could trust this person to touch him as if he were something precious. He could feel their heartbeat through the soft cloth of their shirt, a steady thump that reassured as it calmed..

Opening his eyes, he allowed himself to face the one he clung to, unsurprised by the thick fall of blonde, or the deep shaded blue of familiar eyes. No words were ever spoken in these dreams, none were needed.

Gazing intently up at his dream lover, he raised himself to his toes, smiling as the taller man bent predictably down to meet him halfway, their lips joining. Stifling a sob, he reveled in the sweet feeling of the man's hands on his back, guiding him down as he cradled his willing body against his chest. There was nothing as good as this in the waking world, he thought fuzzily.

The real world was full of hurt, loneliness and disappointment covering everything in a haze of diseased grey, souring the taste of life. As if sensing his depressed thoughts, the older man deepened their kiss gently, stroking his back in long, soothing movements. The raw feeling of his comforting embrace swept away the pain-filled musings, destroying the shadows that crept in the darkest parts of his heart until nothing remained but the need for this moment.

The understanding that it was a dream had no meaning here, not with the tickle of breath against his cheek driving his thoughts to just how much he craved this. He never thought that something could be so good, sensations powerful enough to leave him begging for relief even as he clung more tightly..

In the nonsensical way of dreams, there were no clothes separating them anymore, the sudden shift noted with only the most fleeting of sighs as he shivered. Arching up, he wrapped shaking limbs around the form of his passion, denying the tiny voice that wept at its falseness. 

The man was obliging, sinking against his body in teasingly slow movements, his lips travelling the space between shoulder and throat as the smaller man whimpered softly against his hair. Wordless gasps and cries poured from him, his desperation to make this feeling last gradually turning to urgency, his hips bucking up sharply as his lover pulled away just enough to meet his gaze with half-lidded eyes that held nothing but adoration, his lips parting to shape the final missing piece of his deepest need..

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And he woke, that whispered endearment lost in the harsh jolt of reality's return.

Bolting up, he clutched himself tightly, feeling suddenly bereft. He slumped, the pain in his chest almost unbearable as he struggled to breathe. _'God, what's wrong with me!'_ He thought, shaking his head. _'I can't take this, it's killing me..'_

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Yeah, I know this was supposed to be one short lil thing, but I hope that no one really minds the er... excessive length, lol. Anyway, I guess it's on to the next chapter of dubious quality


	2. Chapter 2

Staked  
By SailorLight22  
Chapter 2 - Persona Choice 

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Well, here's the next part of this, please disregard the FAIL, should it be present :) 

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K passed the rest of the afternoon in a daze, alternating between helpless laughter and puzzled curiosity. _'I can't believe that all this has happened in one day,'_ He thought, shaking his head. _'First, I get dressed down like a plebe, then I think I'm going to have to strangle a hysterical teenager who's decided that he's mad as hell and he's not gonna take it anymore, and then we end up in the city's least-known date spot. And that's besides the fact that this same kid calls me both a psychopath and hot twice before lunch!'_

He pressed his hands to his eyes, sighing. _'Just what the hell is happening here? Why can't I get him out of my head?!'_ He leaned back, laughing again. "What have you done to me, Hiro?" He muttered, "I can't believe that I'm seriously having these thoughts. And talking to myself, again." He moved his hands, leaning back up, chin in hand as he wondered at himself. His wife had left him, taken his child to God-knows-where, and he couldn't stop having perverted ideas about a client half his age!

He sighed, standing abruptly. Crossing the room, he left his office, striding towards the recording room. Hearing the band's two present members, he opened the door, clearing his throat. "Shuichi, is your little party still on? Or has the plan gone out the window like you?" He cackled at the indignant look on the boy's face. "I'm serious though, is it still on?"

Shuichi frowned at him, nodding. "Yuki says that if anything gets broken, touched, molested or stolen, he's going to put me out on the balcony for a month." He muttered, slumping. "And I'm sleeping on the couch until further notice." He straightened, grinning. "Buuut, I still get to use the bed for...!" He trailed off, drooling down one side of his chin as Suguru covered his ears, humming loudly to drown out the horror of the pink haired boy's erotic rant.

K shuddered, resisting the urge to cover his own ears as the singer began to wax poetic about the exact shape of the tiny freckle on his lover's upper thigh. "All right!" He exclaimed, backing towards the door quickly. "Well, good for you, eh, I'll be sure to pick up a costume later, and pick up a little something for the freck.. I mean, the host!" He bolted, slamming the door on Suguru's anguished sigh as Shuichi squealed loudly.

Cursing, he remembered that he really should tell the boy that his friend wasn't really angry with him, hopefully it would also keep him from doing as Hiro had said. A howling Shuichi Shindou was almost impossible to ignore when he's at your door, he thought. Cracking the door open again, he stuck his head in quickly. "And Shuichi, Hiro isn't feeling very well today, so give him some space, okay? He isn't really mad at you, he said he'll explain more tomorrow. Just hold off on the waterworks 'til then, if you don't mind!" He retreated again, closing the door before the hyper teen could attach himself to his leg in a plea for details.

Hearing the bone-jarring thuds and pained shouts from the obviously-glomped keyboardist, he sighed. _'Well, better Fujisaki than me, I don't heal as quick anymore..'_ He snickered, imagining the repressed youth's reaction to the other boy's ecstatic joy. _'Thank God the day's finished up here, at least there's a chance for the kid to run before Shuichi kills him with lovelife consultations..'_

He returned to his office, gathering his things and heading out. Giving a smile to the guard as usual, he got in his car and headed home. Spotting the same costume shop ad on the way, he grinned, pulling over. He climbed out of the car, locking the doors before he entered the store. Glancing around, he saw what seemed like hundreds of costumes, everything from the regulars like ghosts and witches to the more exotic types. Looking for the section that held his sizes, he riffled through the selection, pausing at some while shaking his head at others.

Pulling out an oversized maid's uniform, he snickered. "God, wouldn't they just die?" He murmured to himself, picturing the reactions to him showing up like that, complete with feather duster and hair ribbons. He shook his head. Like hell he'd actually shave his legs, think again clowns!

Pausing again, he studied an elaborate concoction of what appeared to be strips of fake leather and string, suddenly realizing that it was a male dominitrix costume. He choked, wondering what the hell someone would have to smoke before attempting to get into that thing in public.

He moved further down, a flash of black catching his eye. He pulled aside several more strange and mundane outfits, stopping as he took in the one that had been revealed. _'Well, I did say I should be a vampire,'_ He mused, removing the costume from the rack for a better look. The cape was obviously floor length, made of silky black fabric trimmed with silver thread. There was an old English style shirt with complicated string lacings at the throat, which was made to sit low on the neck, a tight-fitting vest and a pair of none-too-loose trousers. Surreptuously looking over his shoulder, he wondered if he could really wear something that tight in the seat. Snorting, he decided that if Shuichi could manage those leather shorts, he could manage this.

Sorting through the accessories section, he found a set of realistic fangs that adhered to the wearer's teeth temporarily. Smiling, he went to the register, paying for the clothing and making his way back to his car. _'Might as well have a little fun with it,'_ He thought, continuing on his way home. _'At least I don't have to worry about being too old, vampires are ancient!'_

Glancing at his costume in the seat beside him, he couldn't help but wonder what Hiro would decide to be. "Ugh, still stuck on him.. I've got to find a hobby!" He exclaimed, annoyed with himself. Shaking his head, he parked and entered the house, setting his bag beside his shoes as he kicked them off. Sighing, he wiggled his toes in pleasure. "Stupid shoes," he muttered. "I should just call it a draw and wear my boots, they aren't as annoying as new loafers.." He chuckled. "Who would believe that I actually like combat boots more than shoes?" He said, sarcastically.

Thinking about his boots, he decided that he would most certainly be wearing those with his costume. The black leather and silver fastenings would modernize the look a bit, he mused. He'd splurged a little on those boots, having them custom made with buckles to adjust for more comfort, making them almost like the boots he'd seen motorcycle enthusiasts sporting in the States. 

Unerringly, the thought led him to wonder if a certain redhead owned boots himself. Giving over to frustration, he allowed his thoughts to linger on their determined target. _'I'll bet he does have some,'_ He mused, _'And I'll bet they look damn good, too..'_ Shaking his head, he sat on the couch.

"Is there anything more hilarious than this?" He wondered aloud, "If I didn't know better, I'd think I had a crush..." He stopped, his eyes widening at the notion. True, he was older, and married - well, not that it mattered now, but when he concentrated on his young clients, the first one he thought of was the quiet guitarist. From that first day, he'd noticed that the redhead was much more than just some punk living the dream.

He was surprisingly intelligent, for one. Always well spoken and astute, when he did contribute to a conversation, you could be sure that whatever he said was worth listening to.

And there was the way he always seemed to know what to say when someone was having problems, usually his eccentric bandmate would turn to him even before pestering his lover for advice. Until today, K had never seen Hiro show more than the shallowest temper, he was unfailingly patient at all times.

Closing his eyes, the blonde recalled the information he had on the three youngsters. He knew their ages and birthdates, most of their personal history from childhood on, their bloodtypes and more. Narrowing his thoughts, he realized with some shock that he knew even unimportant details about the guitarist.

His height and weight, certainly. There was a whole list of preferences and dislikes, mannerisms, even the trivial knowledge of things like a favorite color or shoe size. He clearly recalled the time he'd overheard Shuichi mention that Hiro preferred books over movies, and he knew that there were several authors that he followed when time allowed. Though he was polite and good looking, he very rarely indulged in relationships with either sex, seeming to ignore even the most obvious of come-on's from his fans.

But more than that, K could summon up images, pictures innumerable of the teen in various moods and places. The way he tucked his hair behind one ear as he read, or the exact height of his eyebrow when he was skeptical of something he heard. He smiled often, the righthand side of his mouth twitching beforehand.. There was almost nothing that he feared, but he strongly disliked both snakes and lizards.

The man was amazed at the amount of attention it must have taken to know these things, things that he didn't even know about the other two bandmembers. Obviously, he was focussed on the guitarist in a far different manner than Shuichi or Fujisaki, he could never recall thinking of either one of them as anything but cute kids.

Hiro was definitely not cute. K knew that his attitude and maturity made him seem older, but there was no denying that the guy was probably the best looking person at NG. He laughed, imagining the redhead's outrage if he ever heard someone say that about him, true or not. Hiro wasn't the vain type, he never bothered with clothes or anything else that most boys his age used to feel attractive. He truly was a unique mix of adult and child, fitting the image of neither one while remaining a wonderful puzzle to the people around him.

K sighed in resignation. "I'm infatuated," He mumbled, chuckling at himself. "Hell, probably more than that. What the hell do I do now?" He frowned suddenly, leaping to his feet. "I'll just stop letting it bother me!" He declared, becoming irritated with himself. "So what if he's young? At least he acts like someone older, someone with enough brains to keep his head on straight. The fact that he's a guy isn't even worth considering, it doesn't really make a difference to me anyway!" Aware that his voice was steadily rising in volume, he snorted to himself, imagining the horrified expressions on his neighbor's faces. 

He shook his head, his resolve strengthening. _'Starting tomorrow, I'm going to take the bull by the horns,'_ He decided, plans forming as he thought. _'If I just stand around waiting, who knows how long it could be before he gets the hint?'_

The notion of being rejected gave him a moment's panic, but he shrugged it aside in favor of optimism. "He did say I was hot, that has to count for something." He smiled at the memory, picturing the guitarist's hasty retreat again. _'I still wonder about his sleeping problem, though..'_

Pushing down the curiosity, he sat on the couch to plot. There were only two days until Shuichi's little get together, could he get his point across by then? He'd always worked best under pressure.. Nodding to himself, he settled on the day of the party as his goal. _'Now, I wonder what he'll be going as..'_ He smirked, thinking of his own costume of choice. _'Suddenly, this whole vampire idea just got a lot more amusing.'_

He spent the next several hours thinking of ways to attract the boy's eye, feeling more anticipation build with each passing moment. _'I can do this,'_ He thought finally, glancing at the clock. Seeing that it was almost evening, he laughed at his forgetfulness. _'I'd better eat something, I'm going to need all the strength I can get!'_

Climbing into bed that night, he slept well for the first time in months, his dreams of a crying child replaced by images of a smiling older boy, grey eyes laughing as he lay in light-spotted shade..

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Hiro sighed into his pillow, his dreams of the previous night bringing him awake as abruptly as ever. "God, this has to stop.." He muttered tiredly, then smiled at his speaking out loud. "Oh well, at least I'm not the only fruitcake in the band!" Stretching, he walked to the closet, dressing in his customary casual jeans and shirt. Looking himself over quickly, he brushed his teeth and hair, skipping breakfast to save time. 'If I don't catch Shu early, he'll blow a gasket waiting for me to explain.' He thought, grabbing his keys and opening the door. 

Stepping out, he stumbled over something, narrowly avoiding a hasty introduction to the ground. He looked down, surprised. _'What the hell..?'_

It was a.. Florist's box? He knelt, thinking that there must have been a wrong delivery. "Maybe the girl upstairs.." He muttered, checking the delivery slip tucked into the ribbon for an address. Shockingly, it was addresses to him, the handwriting unfamiliar and neat. The redhead laughed, sliding the thin ribbon off and opening the box. Inside lay a single Tiger Lily, it's bright color standing out against the fragile white tissue beneath it.

He gasped, looking around though the person who'd left it was surely long gone. He shook his head in confusion. _'How did anyone know that these are my favorite?'_ He wondered, _'I doubt even Shuichi knows that!'_ Feeling oddly unafraid of the sender's intent, he carried the open box back into the house, digging a long-necked vase out of a cabinet and filling it half full. Gently, he removed the flower from the box, placing it in the lukewarm water. Taking a deep breath, he smiled at the slight fragrance, noticing a card in the corner of the box.

He lifted it, seeing the same neat script as the address label. Curious, he opened the small envelope, pulling out the pale orange card inside.

_'To the future, and the hope that I may share mine with you.'_

He blinked, re-reading the simple statement. He couldn't understand how the sender had known about his preference, but it seemed that they at least knew the significance of the flower. _'Well, at least whoever sent it wants me to be prosperous..'_ He mused, laying the card on the counter beside the vase. Taking a last breath of the heady scent, he left, locking the door behind him.

Unlocking his motorcycle, he backed away from the parking spot, setting out for the studio building. He wondered about his mysterious gift almost the entire way, calculating the odds that the person had chosen a particular flower at random. He snorted, dismissing the notion as he pulled into the NG parking lot. It was simply too random to be coincidence, he decided. Shrugging, he removed his helmet and locked his bikechain, walking toward the entry doors. Warily, he listened for any sign of danger before taking the handle.

Crossing the lobby, he smiled at the receptionist as he made his way to the elevator. He pressed the call button, nodding a farewell at the woman as the chime sounded to announce the elevator's arrival. Turning to face the doors, he jumped at finding someone already inside. 

Fidgeting, he walked in, standing beside the grinning form of his 'tormentor'. "Morning," He mumbled, avoiding the man's laughing eyes. K snorted quietly, leaning forward with a teasing smile.

"Morning! You look better today, sleep well?" The guitarist frowned, pushing the man away with a huff.

"Please, no amount of sleep is enough for you first thing in the morning!" He snorted, rolling his eyes at the man's attempt at a pitiful face. "You do know that there's something on your face, right?" He said, pointing to an odd blackish smear on the blonde's cheek. "Looks like you've been huffing coal dust.." He laughed as the man tried to see himself, his eyes crossing foolishly.

K brushed at his face in embarrassment, hoping that Hiro wouldn't recognize the pollen for what it was. "Damn," He said, "My secret's out. And here I thought I could get an easy early retirement due to Black Lung." The youth snickered at him, grabbing his arm.

"Wait, you aren't even rubbing the right side." He said, pulling an old napkin from one pocket. Leaning up, he wiped the offending mark, frowning as it smudged. "Ugh, it won't come off.." Absently, he licked his thumb, trying again. K stared at him, and he froze in mid-stroke. "Ah, I'm sorry! I didn't even think.." He stammered, noting that the mark was gone despite his awkwardness.

The older man shook his head, breaking into laughter. "Don't worry about it. Can I call you _'Mommy'_?" He snickered, ducking an irritated swipe from the redhead. "All right! I couldn't help it.. Seriously, it's nothing." Hiro scowled, wiping his thumb with the napkin as he tried to regain his composure.

"Whatever. At least it's gone." He muttered, seeing that the elevator was almost on his floor. A moment later, he snuck a glance at his companion, flushing guiltily when he saw that the man was watching him. "What?" He said, willing away his humiliation at being caught. The blonde coughed, looking away with an amused expression.

"Nothing, just admiring the roses." He snickered, facing the doors as they slid open. "See you around, I've got some stuff to do." He walked away, whistling to himself as the stunned boy stared after him. He cursed as the doors began to close, darting through and sending a glare at the man's retreating back.

"Roses, my ass!" He growled, heading for the studio room. Mentally preparing himself for the day, he missed the quiet sounds from behind the door until he opened it. As a result, he was caught full-force by an exuberant tackle from his best friend, toppling to the floor in an excruciating tangle of legs, elbows and pink hair. Grunting with pain, he levered the singer up and to the side, gasping for breath as the boy bounced off the far wall. "Oops," He croaked, "Sorry about that, I didn't mean to kick you that hard."

The shorter boy landed on his face, but seemed unbothered by his flattened profile as he immediately began a tirade of apologies and tearful pleas. "Hiroooo... Please don't be mad, I'm really sorry about what happened, and Yuki.. Well, I'm sure that Yuki's sorry too!" He wailed, ignoring the trickle of blood running over his right eye. "K said to wait to talk to you, so I did, but now Yuki's mad that I didn't sleep at all, and he said that he's going to cancel the party if I don't _'Shut the fuck up and apologize'_!" He stopped for breath, and the redhead took his chance to interrupt before he could begin again.

"It's fine, forget about it. I'm sorry that I went off like that, it wasn't just the two of you.. I had a couple of bad nights, they kinda piled up on me yesterday. I'm all right now, so you can tell Yuki that there's no problem." The boy shrieked, clutching Hiro in a hug.

"Thank you thank you! I will!" He cried, leaving the room like a shot. Hiro stared after him in exasperation.

"Well, I guess that's the rest of the workday," He said, finally. "Knowing him, he'll forget to come back at all." Hiro shook his head, following his friend out the door. "Maybe K can get him to come back before.." He stopped, remembering the scene in the elevator. "Jesus, I guess I'm just going to be in his face all day, at this rate." He grumbled, resuming his trek. Reaching the man's office, he sighed, knocking gently.

Hearing the answering yell, he opened the door. "Uh, Sorry to bother you, but I just talked to Shu.. And he said he was going to tell Yuki that everything's ok.. Figured I should tell you he left, in case you want to shoot him or something." The blonde leaped to his feet, swearing.

"Dammit, he's going to die! What the hell is he thinking?" He muttered, grabbing his signature Magnum, and heading for the door. Hiro backed out quickly, shaking his head.

"I think that's the problem.. He isn't thinking." The man snorted in reply, waving a hand as he left.

"Well, I'm going to go give him something to think about. If you see Fujisaki, tell him we're going to have a late start, but stick around." Hiro nodded, smiling.

"Sure thing, but if I'd known he was gonna pull that, I would have stayed in bed.." The blonde hummed, picturing the boy's sleeping figure before forcing down his less than professional thoughts in favor of the hunt to come.

"Be back in a while!" He called, leaving before he could give himself away. 'Now I'll have the image stuck in my head all day,' He thought, ruefully. 'But at least it makes for good scenery!' He chuckled at his own joke, waiting for the elevator once again. "So much for the subtle approach." He mumbled, entering the doors when it arrived. Vowing to catch the unruly singer in short order, he thought of his early-morning 'surprise attack'. "I wonder if he kept the flower," He said, grinning. "I'll bet he went crazy trying to think of who knew that he liked them." The elevator opened into the lobby, and he rushed out in hot pursuit of his wayward client.

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The rest of the day passed uneventfully, save the dramatic re-entry of a much beaten and yowling Shuichi. At closing time, Hiro waved a goodbye to his bandmates, assuring Shuichi that everything was still fine. He gathered up his jacket, helmet and guitarcase, making for the door. Just as he reached it, a slight prickle of apprehension warned him seconds before it opened, and he jumped in alarm. Expecting it to fly open as it usually did, he stumbled awkwardly back, visions of his previous mishap running through his mind as he prepared himself for a replay.

His descent was halted by a familiar grip on his wrist, and he found himself staring up into bright blue as the taller man's other hand encircled his waist to catch him. Several seconds passed as he gasped wordlessly, his thoughts following a long-rehearsed litany of appreciation for the blonde's clean-cut features. Finally, he blinked, regaining his balance and jerking away. "Dammit, the one time you don't crash in like a buffoon, I almost kill myself!"

The American chuckled, releasing his grip. "Well, at least it's not a total loss," He joked. "You didn't bust your skinny ass this time." The boy glared at him in annoyance.

"Yes, that's the highlight of the day. And what do you mean, skinny? My ass is most _definitely_ not skinny!" He growled, daring the man to repeat himself.

K smiled down at him, his eyes narrowed appraisingly. "No," He said, leaning to the side for a better look, "It's not. Maybe 'little' would have been a better word?" He straightened, ignoring the teen's indignant gasp. "Or I could go out on a limb and say 'cute', but that's beside the point." He looked at the other two boys, containing a smirk at the wide-eyed stares that greeted his blatant comment. "I see that you're ready to leave, Shuichi, Fujisaki.. Try to be a little early tomorrow, there's a lot that needs to get done before the weekend." He stared meaningfully at the lead singer, continuing. "And Shuichi.. Don't forget that I'll be at your party, so if you mess up again, you'll never see me coming." He grinned at the boy's horrified look, turning to leave. "See you later then, kiddies. You too, Hiro." He added, almost as an afterthought.

The three stared after him, Fujisaki shaking his head and leaving with a quiet "Later." after a few moments.

Shuichi whirled to face his friend, his eyes wide. "What was that about?!" He demanded, clutching the taller boy's arm. "What's going on, Hiro? Why is K acting like..Like.." He paused, frowning. "Holy shit, Hiro! I think K was _flirting_ with you!" He squealed, bouncing on his toes. "Are you two..!?"

Hiro closed his hand, thumping the enthusiastic singer on the head. "There's nothing going on! And there isn't any 'you two'!" He stalked quickly out the door, ignoring the pink-haired boy's cries as he decided to take the stairs. He left the building through a side door, walking to his bike. Nearing the space, he stopped. On the seat was a familiar box, with a note included. He whirled around, but the lot was empty save for the usual cars.

He sighed, picking the box up and taking the card gingerly from it's envelope. It was a pale yellow this time, and he wondered at the choice of colors. The note was as simple as the first.

_'For many days and nights'_

He raised an eyebrow, confused. Pulling the white ribbon off the box, he opened it, staring down in wonder as the familiar scent enveloped him. Nestled against deep red paper was a single blooming Magnolia flower, it's petals the color of fresh cream. He shook his head, bringing the fragrant blossom closer as he inhaled. _'Whoever it is, they know a lot about me,'_ He thought, carefully reclosing the box and tucking it awkwardly under one arm.

Taking extra care, he made the trip home, parking his bike and locking it up quickly. He rushed to his apartment, freezing at the sight of a third box. He laughed helplessly, picking it up as he unlocked the door. He carried the two boxes into the kitchen, opening the first and placing the magnolia inside the vase with the lily. Sighing quietly, he picked up the newest one, opening the light red card.

_'I can't ignore it anymore'_

He smiled, opening the box to reveal a single deep scarlet rose. His fingers shook slightly as he removed it from it's tissue, smelling it's heady scent as he added it to the vase. Taking a step back, he looked at the strangely attractive mix of flowers. Shaking his head, he sat wearily in a chair at the table, wondering who could possibly be doing this. Certainly, the rose could have been a lucky guess, but the other two?

Hiro decided that maybe it wasn't a bad thing. _'The handwriting looks familiar, somehow,_' He thought, _'But I just can't place it..'_ He sat for a moment longer, staring at the vase intently as if it could answer his questions. Then, he sighed. "I still haven't thought about Shu's party.. Maybe a trip to that costume place I saw before will help me decide what to be."

He grabbed his helmet and keys, leaving the kitchen light on as he left the apartment. A quick ride later, Hiro found himself staring at what was surely the oddest collection of costumes that Japan had to offer. As he browsed through the racks, he wondered if K had a costume yet. Spotting an adult-sized Maid's costume, he snickered at the thought of the tall American wearing it, with heels and pigtails to complete the image.

Shaking his head, he paused in his search as a flash of white caught his eyes. He pulled aside several more costumes, and raised an eyebrow at the one he'd found. The first thing that registered was leather, ivory white and smooth. The pants were obviously made to fit as closely to the wearer's skin as possible, leaving almost nothing to the imagination. A shirt of silky cream colored satin accompanied them, with a pair of small feathered wings to complete the ensemble. He paused for only a moment before laughing quietly.

_'Well, it's not like I haven't worn things just as.. different onstage,' _He thought, taking the outfit from its hanger and carrying it to the sales counter. Paying for the costume took almost no time, and before he knew it, he was once again standing in his living room. "That's one less thing to do." He muttered, putting the bagged costume on the counter. "Now all that's left is to wait for Saturday night.. I wonder what Shu's going to be this year.."

He laughed, remembering some of the boy's previous costumes. He had to admit, Shuichi was the reigning king of foolishness, though some of the things he came up with were both amusing and horrifying. Hiro took his costume from the bag, carrying it with him as he entered the bedroom. He shed his clothes, grabbing a pair of pajama pants and heading to the bathroom for a quick shower.

He emerged a half hour later, relaxed from the water's heat. Toweling his hair, he sat on the bed to comb out the snags as he prepared for bed. _'At least I can look forward to a hot date tonight,'_ He thought, snorting to himself as he turned out the lamp. _'Maybe I should try a little harder with people, find someone to occupy my dreams instead of him..'_ He sighed, closing his eyes. Sleep took him quickly, his dreams full of blue and gold...

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Hm, I wonder if this will improve in quality as it increases in quantity..


	3. Chapter 3

Staked  
By SailorLight22  
Chapter 3 - Facing Your Fears...Or Not

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Heh, maybe the third time's the charm for this?

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The next morning, Hiro opened the door with caution, and laughed outright at the now-familiar box on the threshold. Lifting it, he carried it to the kitchen and opened it expectantly, wondering what lay within. He frowned in confusion as the 'flower of the day' was revealed, a single long-stemmed Iris, it's petals a deep purple streaked with a paler shades of blue. Seeing the expected card, he opened it to find another simple message.

_'For stealing my heart before I knew it'_

He snorted, amused at being congratulated for something he hadn't meant to do. Still smiling, he arranged the newest addition to his growing collection with the other three, noticing that the colors and scents complimented each other surprisingly well. He glanced at the wall clock, seeing that he was running behind. He locked up, thinking that he should still be able to make it to the studio before K decided to come over for a little 'pep talk'.

The thought led him to wonder at the older man's strange behavior, and he arrived at the studio lot with almost no memory of the drive over. Removing his helmet, he carried it and his guitarcase to the doors, crossing to the elevator with a vague expression and a halfhearted wave to the receptionist. When the elevator doors opened to reveal the object of his confusion, Hiro found that he could do no more than laugh at the irony. "Are you stalking me, or is this my Karma for misdeeds in a previous life?" He demanded between fits of mirth. The man looked at him in mild amusement, nodding.

"Yeah, I was peeking through your window just this morning, and it occurred to me that maybe I should get you a raise so you can afford new pyjamas." The guitarist shoved him with mock severity.

"Hey, I like my stuff. It takes too long to break new clothes in, so I just stick with what feels good.." He trailed off, realizing that the blonde was staring at him oddly. He mentally repeated himself, and winced at his choice of words. "I mean, why waste time being uncomfortable?" He tried to recover, looking away. K nodded, chuckling in agreement.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Shoes are probably the worst, though." He gestured to his feet, and Hiro looked down, his eyes following the long expanse of the man's leg until he focussed absently on his footwear.

"I don't see how you can wear those things," He muttered, almost to himself. "They look horrible, and they don't really suit you at all.." He snickered at the blonde's indignant huff.

"Well, some of us can't hang out in sneakers all day. But out of curiosity, what do you think would..'suit me', Hiro?" He said, leaning closer. The guitarist thought for a second, and replied confidently. 

"Boots, I think. Something more rugged, like a good pair of those black Army ones, maybe.." He inched away from the taller man, noticing his attentive stare. "No offense, but these make you look.." He grasped for a neutral word. "..Tame." 

K straightened incredulously. "_Tame?_ Oh, I don't know about that!" He laughed teasingly. "I don't think anyone could accuse me of being tame. Hell, even you say I'm crazy, Hiro.. But speaking of crazy, are you all set for Shuichi's little shindig tomorrow night?"

The boy nodded, strangely relieved at the change of subject. "Yeah, I got my costume yesterday night. You?" The older man smiled mysteriously. "Well, what did you get?" Hiro asked, hearing the elevator chime to announce their floor. K merely snorted.

"You'll see. But I can give you a hint: It sucks." That said, he left, ignoring a confused look from the redhead. As an after thought, he turned back, reaching into a pocket and handing the bewildered teen a slip of paper. "This is a list of songs that I want you guys to work on 'til lunchtime, show it to Shuichi and Fujisaki, would you?" He grinned, thanking the boy as he set out for his office.

Hiro unfolded the paper, walking towards the studio. Just outside the door, he looked it over, and froze.

_The handwriting on the list matched the writing on the notes._

For a moment, he laughed at himself. Then he reached into his jacket pocket, remembering that the note from the magnolia left on his bike was there. Opening it, he held it beside the paper. _A perfect match._

Numbly, he opened the door, automatically carrying his things to their usual spot and sitting them down. Seeing Shuichi's curious look, he shook his head and shoved the paper at him. "K said that he wants us to work on these until break. Set up, I'll be back in a minute." He ignored the questioning look on the other boy's face, closing the door firmly behind him as he strode down the hall. _'What the hell is he playing at?'_ He wondered, irritated. He knocked on the man's office door, not waiting for a response before jerking the door open.

K looked up in surprise, but the guitarist cut him off before he could speak. "It was you. Don't act like you don't know what I mean, either." He tossed the card on the desk, waiting for an explanation. Silently, the blonde stood, walking around to stand in front of him.

"You didn't like them?" He asked mildly, raising an eyebrow. "Or were you hoping for someone else?"

Hiro glared at him, shaking his head. "I wasn't _hoping_ for anything! What I want to know is why all the bullshit? Were you trying to make me feel better, or were you playing another game? Nevermind!" He said, waving off the man's response. "Just knock it off, K. I've got better things to do." He stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

K smirked at his hasty exit. "Well, that could have gone better.."

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Hiro spent the rest of the day in forced good cheer, smiling when Shuichi reminded him that the party would begin at 8pm the next evening. Hoping that he appeared eager for the occasion, he teased the boy about his choice of costumes, and also made several allusions to his own while refusing to divulge exactly what he'd decided on. The pink-haired boy had whined and pleaded, but Hiro remained secretive, assuring his anxious friend that he wouldn't have long to wait. 

Soon it was time to stop for the day, and Hiro barely had time to wave as the hyperactive singer shouted a final reminder and vanished through the door, presumably rushing home to both decorate for the upcoming festivities and annoy his reluctant lover into choosing a costume of his own. Suguru left, also bidding the guitarist a farewell until the following night, all the while grumbling about wasted time and foolish holidays.

Hiro sighed, retrieving his guitar and placing it gently in it's case. He still couldn't believe the lengths that K had gone to, sending the notes and flowers.. Did he feel sorry for the boy, his loneliness and anger causing the man to pity him? Or was there something else? He growled in frustration, slamming the lid of the case closed. "There's nothing!" He muttered angrily, clenching his fists. "He was being stupid, thinking that I needed something to cheer me up.. Like getting a toy for a kid throwing a tantrum!"

He yanked his jacket on, picking up the guitar case and turning out the lights before slamming the studio door. Looking up, he found himself face-to-face with the one person he most wanted to avoid. "Great, are you here to make sure I'm not going to have another fit? Because I don't.." K raised a hand, cutting him off.

"Stop right there, mister." He said, his eyes narrowed. "I think you have the wrong idea. I wasn't trying to tease you, and I don't expect you to get all riled up again." He smiled suddenly, catching the redhead off guard. "I thought that you might like it, having someone to do things like that for you. Was it because it was me, Hiro? I'm sorry if it disappointed you." The boy shook his head incredulously.

"You..! Why would I care if it was you? That isn't the point, K!" He said, trying to walk around the taller man. K stepped into his path, barring his escape. "Move!"

K shook his head. "I don't think so. What is the 'point' that bothers you? If it isn't me, then what?" Hiro shook his head again, irritated at the blonde's persistence. 

"Just forget about it! I don't need anything done for me, I can take care of myself. Now, can I please go home?" He said, moving to the side again. This time the man let him go, waiting until he'd almost reached the elevator before calling after him. 

"You might not need it, but is it so bad that someone cares enough to try, Hiro?"

It may have been a hollow victory, but Hiro was proud that his feet paused for only a moment before he stepped into the open elevator.

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Later that evening, he found himself wondering about the man's parting words. Had K really thought that he needed to feel cared for? Or had there been something more..personal about the gesture? The guitarist immediately felt a surge of hope at the idea, but it was quickly dispersed as reality set in. 'Right.. He just suddenly decides that he's madly infatuated with me, and starts sending flowers with cheesy notes to show his undying devotion.' He snorted to himself, imagining the older man desperately plotting ways to get his attention.

"Knowing him, he'd likely just shoot someone with a tranquilizer gun, drag them off to some remote place, and badger them until they either gave in or went mad." He muttered, smiling in spite of himself at the image. "But I may as well try to sleep, since it looks like I'm going to be stuck thinking about him whether I'm awake or not." He made his way through the apartment, collapsing on top of the quilt without bothering to undress.

'Maybe I should talk to Shuichi,' He thought, already beginning to doze. 'He can be really clueless sometimes, but he was able to see that Yuki really did care about him, even when he acted like a prick...' He nodded off, falling into a blessedly dreamless sleep for the first time in weeks.

The next day passed quickly, and almost before he knew it, it was almost time to leave for the party. He dressed, enjoying the silken material of the shirt against his skin before pulling on the pants. Though almost impossibly tight, he found with surprise that they weren't as uncomfortable as he'd imagined. Snickering to himself, he slipped the wings into place, admiring the effect in the bathroom mirror. 'Well, aren't I just adorable,' He thought, laughing.

He turned around, eyeing himself critically. 'Not bad, not bad at all..' He turned off the lights, locking the door as he left. The building was nearly silent, with most of the other tenants already gone with their children, or on their way to parties of their own. Hiro wondered if he should have grabbed his camera, but decided against it. 'Shu will probably end up taking a million pictures anyway' He reasoned, starting his bike and pulling into the street.

A short while later, he parked at the side of his friend's building, mentally preparing himself for what was sure to be a most...interesting get together. Thus fortified, he walked to the front doors, noting that there were already a few children in costume leaving with parents and friends. He nodded to the harried-looking parents of one child, who squealed so loudly that the others people stared at the group apprehensively. Remembering his friend at the same age, he couldn't help but grin as he waited for the elevator.

When it arrived, the doors opened to reveal several more children, all of which scurried toward the exit with barely-concealed excitement. Hiro smiled patiently, entering the now-empty lift. He pressed the floor button, leaning against the wall as he watched the numbered display distractedly. After a few seconds, the doors opened to the corridor, and he walked leisurely to the couple's apartment.

He knocked, soon hearing someone yell that it was open. He went in, closing the door behind him before he kicked his shoes off and entered the spacious living room. Right away, he could see that Shuichi had strewn various seasonal things about, pumpkins and the like lying about in a haphazard manner.

Hiro smiled, spotting the apartment's other occupant leaning boredly against the wall, a beer in his hand as he observed the festivities. Crossing the room, he greeted the man politely. "How's it going, Yuki? You don't look too pleased, something wrong?"

The author eyed him blandly. "Nice costume. And no, nothing's wrong, I'm really not into American holidays."

Hiro smiled, nodding. "I know what you mean. They have some that I don't understand at all." Studying the taller man, he frowned. "Um, not to be rude, but what are you supposed to be?" Yuki took a drink of his beer before replying.

"I'm a heterosexual." He deadpanned, crushing the empty can. "You want one? I'm going that way." Hiro stared at him for a moment before chuckling quietly.

"No, thanks though. Maybe in a while.. Where's Shu? I figured he'd be front and center, since all this was his idea." Yuki snorted in annoyance.

"He's still in the bedroom putting on whatever crap he came up with. He locked the door and won't let me see, so it must be worse than usual." Hiro snickered to himself, once again remembering the boy's tendency to dress outrageously for the holiday he loved.

"Well, I'm sure he won't be too much longer. Is this everybody?" He gestured to the room at large. The author shook his head, smirking. 

"Shu's idol isn't here yet, and my idiot brother just called to say he's on his way." He thought for a moment before continuing. "Sakano wasn't going to come, but Tohma called and ordered him to get something on and get his ass over here, so I guess he'll be here too. The maniac that manages you isn't here either." He snorted quietly, moving toward the kitchen. "Have..fun." 

Hiro nodded, looking around the room. In one corner, Tohma nursed a drink of his own, his costume simple. He wore a pair of faded jeans, a loose-fitting sweatshirt and sneakers. Seeing the redhead's look, he grinned, turning around to display the back of his shirt. Hiro read the words and snorted.

_Just an average Joe_

_'Yeah, that's a stretch,'_ He thought, shaking his head. _'I wonder if he can even remember being 'middle class'..'_ He noticed that Suguru was also there, his expression vaguely annoyed as he sipped his own drink and listened to whatever his cousin was currently rambling about. His costume was also fairly easy to understand, his pale green shirt and pants covered by a white labcoat identifying him as a doctor. Hiro smiled faintly, and the boy jerked his head in acknowledgment before turning to the older man who had obviously just asked a question.

He heard a crash, and turned toward the hallway as the figure of his best friend leaped into the room, grinning hugely. Hiro gaped at him, registering the sudden quiet that enveloped the scene before Tohma howled with unrepressed amusement and Suguru choked on his swiftly inhaled punch. Yuki shouldered the kitchen door open with an annoyed growl before falling eerily silent at lover's...attire. As Hiro shook off his astonishment, he too began to snicker as the blonde author dropped his open drink directly on top of his feet, ignoring the wetness seeping into his socks as he turned vaguely red.

Shuichi bounced on his toes, surveying the impact of his costume with glee. His left eye was covered with a pink satin patch, and on his head was an oddly-shaped black hat with a matching pink skull adorning the front. His upper half was completely bare, save for an obviously false ring on one nipple, and his lower half was barely concealed by what Hiro assumed was the long-lost older sibling of his eyepatch. Hiro also noted that he'd dusted himself with glitter, which did nothing to detract from the effect.

For several long minutes, hilarity reigned. Then the blonde shook off his daze and strode forward, snatching the boy's arm and dragging him into the kitchen. Muffled shouts and whimpers carried through the door, but were soon silenced with a suspiciously timed thump. Yuki emerged, his face still colored faintly as he wiped the beer from the floor in vicious jerks. No one dared comment until he stood, glaring at them each in turn as he reentered the kitchen.

Coughing harshly, the young keyboardist shook his head disgustedly. "What the fuck was that supposed to be?! A hat and an eyepatch..?" He demanded, turning to his weakly gasping cousin, who slumped against the wall as if his legs were at war with gravity. The man waved limply, clutching his stomach as he panted for breath.

"Shindou-san... Has had a misunderstanding, I believe.." He straightened, still holding himself tightly. "If I'm not mistaken, he overheard a comment made by someone and assumed that the remark was complimentary, rather than derogatory in nature." The teenager huffed impatiently. 

"That tells me nothing! What the hell did he hear, that made him..?" He gestured at the kitchen, where quiet murmurs had begun to issue from within the room. "There was practically no back on that..thing! Please explain to me, right now, why that is?!" 

At the reference, Tohma began to laugh again, shaking his head in silent apology. Suguru stomped over to his bandmate's side, glaring up at him expectantly. "Well? What was that?" 

Hiro snickered, rolling his eyes. "That," He pointed, "Was supposed to be Shu's portrayal of an Ass Pirate. May Yuki have mercy on his soul." Suguru stared at him in confusion.

"How do you _anything_ pirate from that?!" He said, waving his arms.

Hiro shook his head in mock sympathy. "You said it yourself, didn't you? There's the hat, the eyepatch..." He paused to contain himself. "It's not too hard to figure out, really."

The boy stared at him mutely. Then he sighed, his expression one of reluctant amusement. "All right, I get it now." He shook his head, walking to a table nearby for more punch. "You'd think that after this long, I'd have expected something like that from him.." He muttered, wiping his face with a napkin. "You're an angel, then?" He asked, glancing at the guitarist's clothing. "Not bad, at least your ass isn't hanging out.." Hiro smirked, nodding.

"Yeah, ass out isn't a good look for me." The boy snorted at his reply, returning to his still-chuckling cousin's side with a slight wave. Yuki emerged from the kitchen, a pouting Shuichi trailing behind. Spotting his friend, he quickly changed from downtrodden to hyper, rushing over to admire his bandmate's costume.

"Ooh, leather!" He said, circling the taller boy quickly. "Nice pants!" He snickered, noticing the close fit. Hiro nodded, shrugging at his amusement.

"Right, yours too. Really Shu, what in the world were you thinking?" The pink haired boy grinned widely, spinning around in a halo of glitter.

"Why not? I thought it was funny, and Yuki didn't kick me out.. Plus," He leaned close, muttering, "He said I have to take a shower before bed, since the glitter will get everywhere. Maybe he'll even help, to make sure I get it all.." He trailed off, his eyes glazing over as he imagined several erotic scenarios involving water, glitter, and his blonde-haired lover. Hiro inched away, nodding.

"Ah, that's.. Well, at least you don't have to worry about someone having the same costume." He said, forcing a smile at the boy's scantily-clad figure. "I think I'm going to get some punch, I'll catch you in a few." Shuichi nodded, bouncing over to his younger bandmate and his boss, the former shrinking away from the singer's attempted glomp. Hiro snickered at the horrified look on the boy's face as he brushed away a smudge of bright pink glitter on the arm of his coat.

Pouring himself a drink, he snuck a quick look at the still-scowling author nearby. The man was obviously annoyed at his lover's audacious getup, but there seemed to be a hint of exasperated amusement beneath his angry look. Hiro sighed quietly, reminded of how happy the cold natured man and his friend truly were. Finishing his drink, he tossed the empty cup into the trash.

He heard a commotion at the door, followed by a boisterous knock that Shuichi raced to answer. Hoping to avoid notice, Hiro walked to the balcony doors, leaving quietly as he heard the sound of several people entering the room. 'I need some air,' He reasoned, refusing to admit that he was trying to avoid a certain blonde maniac... 

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K shook his head, laughing at the pink-haired boy before him. "Shuichi," He managed between snickers, "What the hell are you supposed to be?" His companions were also staring, the younger collapsed heavily against the door as he wheezed.

Shuichi smiled brightly, spinning around to give the full effect of his costume as he explained. "I," He proclaimed proudly, oblivious to Tatsuha's almost pained shriek of renewed amusement, "Am an Ass Pirate!" He pointed to his head. "See? I've got an eyepatch, and the hat.." He snickered to himself, turning around. "And.." He laughed, glancing over his sparkly shoulder at the fallen monk, who raised a hand weakly in protest. 

"We get it, please, no more!" The boy stood, attempting to shake off his disbelief. "I can't believe that you got away with that.. Eiri must be livid.." He shook his head, turning to the last of their little group, who still couldn't accept what he was seeing. "Yo, Sakano-san, you all right?" The man nodded dumbly, walking past them to enter the living room in a daze.

Following him, Shuichi led the other two inside, quickly dragging his lover's brother over to the author's corner. As Yuki sighed in annoyance, K noticed a flash of white by the door to the couple's balcony. He turned quickly, but the person was gone before he could get a clear look at them. Curious, he glanced around the room, seeing Tohma and Fujisaki to one side. He knew that Ryuichi wasn't there, he'd called to let the older man know that he would be late. So that left..

Smirking to himself, he strode to the doors, easing them open and slipping into the darkness, grateful that his costume blended into the shadows. He leaned against the building, barely able to make out the form of his 'prey'. His identification proved correct, as the height and slenderness of the figure matched exactly with that of his newly-discovered obsession. Hearing the boy mutter to himself, he squashed a flash of guilt at his nosiness, listening to the guitarist's quiet monologue with growing interest.. 

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All right, there's only two parts left, beware of slight LIME-to-LEMON in them. (Like you really need to be warned ' ) Ja!


	4. Chapter 4

Staked  
By SailorLight22  
Chapter 4 - Once Bitten.. 

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Heh, Here's some lime, one more after this and it's D-U-N, DONE (Thank GOD!) 

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Turning away from the closed doors, Hiro shook his head wearily. _'I should be happy, but all I can think about is K and his stupid games.'_ He scowled, leaning on the balcony railing. "Why does it have to be K?" He asked the night, "Out of the whole crazy bunch, why did it have to be someone that isn't an option? To him, we're just stupid kids trying to be somebody." Closing his eyes, he muttered to himself, his voice quiet and bitter. "We aren't friends, we're _responsibility._ Clients to protect, people that need a watcher.. There's nothing else there, just duty."

"God, I can't believe it.. Some dreams and a few jokes and flowers, and I'm ready to just jump off the building to get it out of my head.." He leaned his head over the edge of the rail, looking at the ground below. "Maybe it just means that I'm going to be alone." He snorted at himself. "Not like I'm interested in anyone else, but what good is it.. if he doesn't see me as anything more than some dumbass _kid_.." He stopped, feeling a strange sensation. 

He turned his head, hearing a slight rustle of..wind? Sighing, he shook his head. "Paranoia. Just great, now I'm taking on his traits.." The sound came again, and he turned again, his eyes widening in an attempt to peer along the darkened length of the balcony. He thought that he could almost see a hint of something.. Dark, darker than the wall of the building, something that moved. He stiffened, opening his mouth, and the form abruptly shifted away from the building.

He had only the barest moment to process what was happening before he was pressed to the wall, the silken feeling of cloth against his skin startling. He yelped, seizing the front of his 'assailant's shirt.

"What the hell..!" He gasped, feeling a sharp prickling sensation at his throat, not quite painful but more.. "Get off me! What is this, some sad attempt at a creepy seduction? I swear, you've got about three seconds..!"

A low chuckle cut him off, wide eyed as a teasing voice finished his statement. "..Until you forget that I'm twice your size, Hiro? Hm, almost twice your age is more like it, though. Why are you so concerned with how much bigger than you I am?" he laughed again, imagining the expression on the younger man's face. "Were you afraid that the boogieman had come to get you, Hiroshi?"

Hiro growled in annoyance. "Get off! You're not funny, and I was not afraid! What are you doing out here anyway, stalking around waiting for innocent bystanders to scare? God, sometimes I think you must be about ten, acting like that. Did you pick that up from Ryuichi, or did he get it from being with you all that time?"

The blonde grinned, shaking his head before remembering that the guitarist couldn't see. "Nah, I just like to loosen up a little at parties. Why aren't you enjoying the festivities? You just missed Sakano, he came as The Flash.." He snorted, and cleared his throat. "I couldn't believe it, but he looks like he's riding a rooster, with those skinny little legs. It's classic, even Yuki was snickering in his beer. Shuichi promised to get loads of pictures, you should see it for yourself."

The redhead smiled, grudgingly. "God, we really are a bunch of idiots.. Who else came in? I know that Yuki said Ryuichi would be a little late.. And he said that Tatsuha was on his way too." The American nodded, stepping back a bit.

"Yeah, the kid's here, but I'm not going to tell you what he came as. Ryuichi still hasn't shown though. But that doesn't answer my question, you know. Why are you out here all by yourself in the dark? I haven't even seen your costume." He patted the shorter man's arms and chest experimentally, earning a sharp smack on the hands.

"Quit that! I came out here to get some air. I didn't think anyone would notice, after seeing Shu's... whatever. Suguru almost choked to death, you know. I hope Yuki doesn't kill his brother for staring, 'cause you know he's going to.." He trailed off, squinting in the darkness. "What are you, anyway? And why the hell did you sneak out here like that? I didn't even hear you until you moved, asshole." K laughed.

"You should pay more attention, Hiro. I've been out here the entire time, I came out right after you did. You know, someone once said, 'If you keep on talking to yourself like that, people are going to think you're crazy.' " 

The teen snorted. "Thanks for the tip."

K faked scratching his head. "What? I wasn't talking to you.." 

Hiro shoved him, shaking his head at the man's foolishness. "See? You're like a big kid. And what do you mean, almost the entire time? I've been out here for all of 10 minutes..." He froze, backing up until he hit the wall. "Why the fuck didn't you say anything? You just _stood_ there and eavesdropped? Jesus, I can't believe you! First the shit with the flowers, and now this!"

The blonde stepped closer. "Well, it wasn't really eavesdropping, since there wasn't anyone else here. And I didn't say anything because I was curious." He stopped, inches away from the nervous guitarist. "See, I have this thing about people mentioning my name. It makes me wonder what they're saying about me, especially when they obviously think there's no way I'll hear about it."

Hiro stared at the ground, clenching his fists. "So, it's all right because of a technicality? That's great. Very clever way to step around common courtesy. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm missing my best friend's party." He tried to pass by the taller man, but he lifted his arm, palm to the wall to block the teen's escape.

"Hold on, Hiro." He said, ignoring the other's sharp inhale. "I'm still curious. Do you really think that I don't like you? Or that I think of you all as just another bunch of stupid kids? Because I don't." He leaned even closer, his breath warm on the guitarist's cheek as he spoke. "I don't think you understand, Hiro. I do my job, and you three are my clients. But as soon as you leave that building, you're off the clock. Then, I thought we were friends." Hiro stared up at him, nothing but the slightest gleam of his eyes visible in the darkened space. "Don't you want to be my friend, Hiro? I'd like to think that you already are."

"I..I don't.. I mean, you..I.." He managed, pressing harder against the rough brick, avoiding the man's eyes. "I do think of you as a friend, really! I gotta go, please move!" He pushed on the man's arm, still averting his face. "Look, I'm sorry that I said you don't like us, I was mouthing off to myself. Please, just leave it."

The blonde sighed, shaking his head. "That isn't what bothers me though." He said, gripping the shorter man's chin with his free hand, forcing him to look up. "You didn't say 'us', you said 'me', didn't you? Maybe you'd like to explain why you feel that way, or why it bothers you enough to miss a chance at seeing your friends make fools of themselves?"

Hiro stiffened, holding his breath. Closing his eyes, he spoke softly. "I told you, I was just thinking out loud. I didn't really mean that. I'm sorry." K chuckled, the sound seeming to echo in the almost silent night. 

"You're avoiding the question, Hiro. Why does it bother you that much?" He was so close now that Hiro could smell the faint scent of his cologne, and something else, a smell that was uniquely K. He shivered, remembering the odd feeling of what must have been teeth against his skin. Knowing that K had been the one pressed against him was too unnerving for his muddles brain to accept. He opened his eyes, straightening in determination.

"Why are _you_ worried about it? I said it was nothing, so why can't you drop it? You act like it's some huge secr...!" He gasped, feeling the blonde's grip on his face tighten. "Wha-"

K shook his head, frowning. "I'm not really worried about it, it's more that I'm worried about you, Hiro. If you think I don't like you, then maybe I'm not getting my point across as well as I thought I was." The level of his voice dropped, as he leaned close enough to whisper. "Maybe I should just stop talking, since you obviously don't get it?" Hiro made a strangled sound at his closeness, his eyes wide.

"Don't.. Don't get..?" 

K sighed, smirking to himself. "Mhmm. I think that would be best." He moved his hand from it's place on the wall, sliding it between the stunned redhead's waist and the stone behind him, the hand on his chin moving to cup the back of his head. "Hiro.." He mumbled, "You _really_ need to pay closer attention to people." Before the other could even begin to reply, he pulled him forward, pressing his lips to the younger man's in a searching kiss.

Hiro stiffened, his faint cry of shock lost as he closed his eyes, his hands clenching the blonde's shirt with desperate strength. He relaxed, responding quickly to the taller man's questioning display with a quiet whimper. Forcing his fingers to obey, he released his hold on the American's clothing, his arms wrapping around his shoulders as he arched away from the wall to press against the man's body.

K hummed appreciatively, opening his mouth to bite down gently on the guitarist's bottom lip, a teasing nip that he soothed with his tongue. Hiro shivered, noting absently that K had left his hair down for the occasion. He twined his fingers into the loose strands, parting his lips in a wordless invitation that the older man gladly accepted.

Deepening the kiss, K allowed his hand to drop from the redhead's waist, fingers splayed across what he recognized as leather, slung low on narrow hips. He pushed gently, urging the smaller man back to the wall before tracing his other hand down the smooth silk of his shirt to rest beside it's mate, gripping him tightly. Pulling away just enough to catch a breath, he buried his face against the crook of the guitarist's neck, repeating his earlier actions with a careful press of teeth, drawing a choked gasp from the other.

Hiro moaned softly, inclining his head to give him better access as his hands smoothed over his back and shoulders, hands tightening in surprise as he felt the man's tongue sweep across his skin. He panted quickly, unable to catch his breath against the onslaught of sensation coursing over him like molten waves. K nipped him again, nudging one leg between his knees and stepping in to press closer as he obliged. The blonde's arms tightened, lifting him easily by the hips, resting his back against the wall as he continued to lave his tongue over the pounding pulse at his throat.

Startled, Hiro gripped his waist tightly with his thighs, gasping as he felt the man's obvious arousal. K grunted with approval, rocking forward sharply. Hiro cried out, fingers clenching convulsively as he almost sobbed at the jolt of heat brought on by the feeling. Locking his ankles together, he ground his hips against the older man's, desperately seeking more contact.

K hissed, shifting his hold from the teenager's hips to his rear. With a quiet murmur of satisfaction, he began to move, pressing their bodies together firmly. "God, Hiro," He growled, his breath catching. "You feel so damned good.." He nipped the lobe of his ear, drawing a shiver from the smaller man. "You like that, don't you? You're burning up.."

Hiro nodded frantically, his legs shaking. "Yes! God yes, please..!" He whimpered loudly, his head buzzing with the need for more.

The taller man sighed, lifting his head to claim the guitarist's lips again, exploring his mouth as he slowed his thrusts. Pulling back, he rested his head against the smaller man's shoulder. "Is this what you wanted, Hiro? Do you want me like this? Tell me, I'll stop if you don't."

The reply was breathy, but clear. "I want it, I do! I think about it all the time, K." He shook his head, embarrassed. "I..I dream about you doing this to me.. I just thought you didn't.." He trailed off, swallowing harshly. 

The blonde smiled, nuzzling his neck affectionately. "Thought I didn't what, Hiro? Didn't think about you like that?" He sighed, moving to meet his eyes. "I thought it was impossible. I've been watching you for a long time, but I don't think I really looked until you flipped out on me. That's when I started to understand what I was feeling, that it wasn't just a fluke. I admit that the flowers may not have been the best idea, but I wasn't sure what else to do on such short notice."

Hiro's eyes widened, incredulous. "You understand..? What do you understand, K? What do you feel, right now?" He lowered his voice, shaking is head slowly. "Nevermind, I know what you feel now, I feel that too. But still, it's not the same, is it?"

He shivered, unable to meet the man's questioning gaze. "I'm sorry, I didn't really mean to ruin the moment. You can put me down, now.." He sighed, closing his eyes tightly. K chuckled quietly, surprising him when he only tightened his hold.

"You still don't get it, do you? It isn't like that, even if you do make me hot as hell. I want a lot more than just this, Hiro." He shook his head, smiling. "I want this too, but more than that, I want to love you. Is that all right?" He felt the redhead stiffen, his body shaking with nerves.

"Love..?" He choked, "You want to.. But.. what about your wife, your family? You can't just desert them, you aren't like that! I'm not going to take you away from them, it wouldn't be right!" He struggled, pushing at the man's shoulders. "Put me down! Let go, I can't let you do this, K!"

The blonde shook his head, waiting for him to finish speaking. "Hiro, calm down. It isn't like you think, you wouldn't be taking me away from anything."

The guitarist stilled so abruptly that it was almost frightening. "What are you suggesting, K?" He growled, shaking. "Are you saying that you want to have your cake and eat it too? You want me to be your.. your toy?! I'd never do something like that, I won't settle for being someone's replacement. Let me go. Now." He felt K shake his head, ready to reply, but he cut him off.

He closed his eyes, drawing a breath. "I thought that you were a good person. I trusted you, even when I didn't trust anyone else. I believed you when you said that we were more than just a job to you, I never doubted that you would keep us safe. I watched you, and I thought about you all the time... I didn't want to say or do anything about it because you had something special, something that no one should have to lose." He pushed away from the older man again, calmly.

"I would never come between someone and their family, K. You should know better than anyone else that family is one of the most important things to me. Please, if you do feel anything for me at all, don't make me be the reason for you to start to lose yours." He forced himself to breathe, to push back his urge to cry that it wasn't fair, that it shouldn't be like this. Resting his head on the older man's shoulder, he sighed brokenly.

K moved, turning his own back to the cool stonework. Keeping his grip, he sank gently to the ground, cradling the shaking body against his chest. "I know you wouldn't want that, Hiro. You didn't let me finish." He smoothed a hand over the smaller man's hair comfortingly. "You wouldn't be a toy to me. And there isn't anything for you to be worried about, I'm not married anymore. I..Judy left, months ago. She took Michael with her, and since the papers came, I haven't heard from either of them." He tightened his hold, his face buried in the other's hair. "I don't have a family to lose anymore, Hiro. That's why I didn't try to think about what I felt, I didn't want to use this as a way to forget. I think it was a long time coming, but I didn't see it for what it was, because I didn't want to."

Hiro jerked back, his eyes wide with horror. "Months..? You mean, when I went off that day, the things I said about.." He shook his head, denying. "You stood there and let me say those things to you, and you didn't even... You tried to help me, when there was something like that happening, and you never said a thing?" He scrambled back, but the man refused to let go.

"Stop! If you hadn't have told me, I would never have known that anything was wrong with you! I stood there and said you weren't concerned about me, but I didn't even see that.. How can you stand it? Aren't you angry, K? Don't you hate me for being like that, for having the nerve to overlook you and still say that I'm something to you?" He clenched his fists until his nails dug into his palms. "I deserve to have you hate me. We all do! While we were worried about bullshit, you were losing your whole LIFE, and we didn't even care enough to see what was happening! How can you even look at us?"

He closed his eyes, unable to face the other man. Feeling him shift, he cringed, prepared for what would surely be the last time he would feel the man's breath on his skin as he whispered. "I don't hate you, or anyone else, Hiro. I knew that things were going bad, but I didn't want to face it, make it more real by seeing it." He wiped the teenager's face, brushing away tears that he wasn't even aware of shedding. "When I started to see what was happening, it was already too late. I realized that I hadn't loved my wife the way she deserved, not in a long time. If I had, I never could have stayed away so easily. I brought this on myself, Hiro. There's no one else to blame." He placed a finger to the boy's lips, stilling his protests.

"No, it's the truth. She shouldn't have done it like this, but she has as much right to go or stay as I did. We both made our choices." He shook his head, suddenly amused. "And after the idea had really sank in, there was you. I just woke up one day, and I couldn't get you out of my head. I realized that there was something that set you apart from the rest of Bad Luck, that I knew things about you that I couldn't have learned from just doing my job." He smirked. "I know for a fact that you aren't afraid of bugs, too. So I wonder what was wrong that day? Was there something that you needed to get off your chest besides just being upset, Hiro?"

The redhead stared at him, astonished. "What are you saying, that you started to... You felt like this for that long, and you didn't know it? That's crazy!" He shook his head. "Look who I'm talking to. Of course it's crazy.." He mumbled, frowning. K tipped his head, forcing him to meet his eyes.

"Well? Are you going to say anything about that, or are you going to avoid the obvious question? Is it because you were thinking about something.. you dreamed?" He chuckled at the blush that spread over the guitar player's face. "Was it something I said? All I remember saying was that you needed to stop being so quiet about your problems, because if you couldn't work I would.." He paused, grinning impishly. "I see, no wonder. You were thinking about how to relieve your stress, hmm?"

Hiro jumped, shaking his head frantically. "I was not! Besides, you were the one saying that stuff, so you were thinking it too!" He clapped his hand to his mouth, as if the gesture could force the statement back in. K laughed out loud, nodding.

"Right. Blame the senile old guy for your hormones controlling your hearing. But beside the obvious reply, maybe you should tell me about these dreams of yours. Then I won't say anything to remind you by accident." He shifted, his hands smoothing over the back of the smaller man's shirt. "Was there anything like this? Or maybe.." He paused, running his lips over the side of his neck. "Does that ring any bells?" He asked quietly, feeling the way Hiro's breath caught.

Nodding faintly, Hiro mumbled. "Yeah, I remember that. I...I don't want to say the rest."

K hummed questioningly. "It can't be that bad, right? Didn't you like it, even a little?" He teased, pulling the other's body closer. "You liked what I did before, didn't you? Wouldn't it be better to do those things while you're awake, Hiro?" He felt the shudder that ran through the other's body at the words, leaning close to murmur in his ear like they shared a secret. "Maybe it would be easier to not say it, and let me see for myself? I can think of quite a few things that would make you blush like that.." He nuzzled against the speechless teenager's cheek, his hands once again tracing the side of his waist. "Was it good, in your dreams? Did it make you want to feel that for real, my hands on you in the dark, like this?"

He moved one hand down the boy's thigh, his thumb following the inside seam to his bent knee before making it's way back up. "I'd love to see what you dreamed about me, Hiro.." He whispered, halting his fingers just shy of their destination. "But more than that, I'd like to see if I could do it better than you imagined, to see if you taste as good as you look when you're on that stage." He sucked gently on the vein that pulsed against his lips, grazing it with his teeth before running the tip of his tongue over the damp skin.

"Did you know that I thought about that, Hiro? I wondered if you had any idea just how delicious you look up there with the lights on you, wearing those jeans that make half of Japan see stars?" He chuckled at the redhead's choked gasp. "I told you, I've been watching you for a long time. Do you wear them like that on purpose, or do you really not know that you've got the hottest little ass this side of the planet?"

He sighed, shaking his head. "Of course you don't know," He murmured, trailing a finger up the line of Hiro's zipper. "That's why it's so hot, because you'd never move like that if you did. I wonder how many people were standing there in coma's when you dropped that guitar pick at the last concert, I thought I might have to shoot half of the front row when you tried to find it. There were probably twenty people breaking their necks trying to climb up high enough to watch you.." He smirked. "Poor Fujisaki stood there gaping until Shuichi kicked him in the shin and made him stop." He snickered at the memory of the flustered indignation on the keyboardist's face as he tried to help locate the missing item without looking anywhere in the vicinity of his bandmate's rear.

He stroked his other hand down to the guitarist's lower back, holding him steady as he leaned far enough away to face him. "Sometimes I wonder how you get anything else underneath, especially the ones like these.." He ran his fingers over the supple leather. "Is there anything under there now?" Hiro shivered, biting his lip to stop himself from answering.

K smiled, pressing his palm firmly against the front of the shaking musician's pants. "I hope there isn't," He said, squeezing gently. "I hope that there's nothing but these to keep me from touching you, or to keep you from feeling it when I'm this close.." He moved his hand, watching the younger man's eyes widen. "Can you feel it, Hiro? Is it better than being asleep, knowing that it isn't real? You can forget about that, because this is most _definitely_ real." 

Hiro nodded, afraid to trust his voice. He leaned in carefully, wrapping shaky arms around the man's neck and pulling him close. "It is better," He whispered, shivering. "But we shouldn't be doing this here, someone might.." He trailed off, and at that moment, the doors slid open with a rattle that caused them both to jerk around.

"Hiro, why are..you..Oooh God, I'm so sorry!" Shuichi's voice fell to a startled squeak at the situation, his eyes wide as he backed away quickly. "Um, nevermind.. You two can just..I mean..See you when you're done!" He mumbled, slamming the door and pulling the blinds. They stared after him for a moment, then turned to each other. Hiro shook his head, beginning to laugh at the irony.

K joined him, his former intensity forgotten as he drew the boy close and rocked with barely-supressed mirth. Hiro pulled away, gasping. "The look on his face..!" He choked, his eyes beginning to tear. "Now we're even for the other day, serves him right." K smirked, nodding in agreement.

"I guess we'll have to continue this later. We should go inside before Shuichi loses his mind and tells everyone within hearing range that we're out here being naughty." Hiro snickered, climbing awkwardly to his feet and offering the blonde a hand as he replied.

"He wouldn't be too far off, if he did.. And I'm holding you to that, so don't go sneaking out the window or anything. You're not the only one who knows how to hunt someone down when you want answers." He poked the man's shoulder seriously. "You've got some explaining to do, but for now...Let's go see what these idiots have gotten themselves into, hmm?"

K nodded, dusting himself off. "Just wait until you see the kid. I can't believe he actually came up with it by himself, let alone went out in public like that, he claimed that he rode the bus." He laughed as he opened the doors, stepping back to allow the other to enter first. As they walked into the lit room, he found himself staring directly at Hiro's somewhat crumpled wings with amusement.

"Oops, it looks like I've ruffled your feathers," He joked, smoothing his hands over the fluffy accessories. Hiro snorted over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow at the man's slightly thoughtful expression.

"Don't let me catch you pulling any off, either," He warned playfully. "Save it for later." K blinked, laughing at his own perversity. He pointed ahead, drawing the guitarist's attention. 

"See? What did I tell you? He looks like an idiot, but it's still hilarious!" Hiro gaped at the red-clad form of their producer, eyes taking in the bright yellow head-fins, the shudder-inducing spandex suit..

"Holy God!" He choked, seeing the man's boots, and the legs above. "You weren't kidding, that's _hideous_!" He gasped, averting his eyes in horror. Spotting Tatsuha, he waved. "Well, he's dressed as a hospital patient..What's so bad about that?" He asked the snickering blonde. K merely pointed again, and Hiro looked a second time, confused at his meaning until the young monk turned to speak to his brother.

"Oh God!" He said, doubling over. "That just _can't_ be real," He snickered, gesturing. "How the hell did he sneak that past his old man? Shu says that he's really strict.." He wiped his eyes, squinting at the boy's costume. The monk-in-training had worn a hospital gown, with the words 'Mental Patient' printed across the chest. That alone was amusing, but he had also procured a very realistic fake ass, which was clearly displayed through the loosely-tied back of the garment. 

After catching his breath, he took a long look at his companion, noticing his attire for the first time. "Ooh, that's why you said it sucked," He muttered, taking in the image. He couldn't help but notice the pants, his eyes following the clingy material jealously until he reached the man's booted feet. Lifting his eyes, he smirked. "I told you that boots would suit you better." He said, quietly. "I just love it when I'm right." 

K swallowed at the teasing note in his voice, leaning close before replying. "I like being right too," He whispered, smiling. "And I'd be willing to bet that _those_ will be a lot easier to get off than they were to put on." He looked at the boy's close-fitting pants, his smile widening as Hiro flushed. 

As the redhead struggled to think of a reply, there was a crash behind them, and he turned to look. There, dressed in an outrageously-colored plush jacket stood the final party guest. Ryuichi had worn a bright yellow-and-black shirt, a deep green vest, and black leather slacks. There was dark liner around his eyes, and he wore the most uncomfortable looking platform boots that Hiro had ever seen. After a moment, the man jumped forward, swinging a silver-tipped cane with a crystal ball on top.

Shuichi bounded forward, squealing as he circled his fashionably-late idol. "Oh, Ryuichiiii!" He cried, rubbing the velvety cloth of the floor-length jacket, "It's great! But, what made you decide to be a pimp?"

The singer stared at him in confusion. "A pimp? Ryuichi's not a pimp!" He grinned, flinging out his arms and spinning gleefully. "I'm _Tohma_!" The room went silent, then erupted into laughter. As he gasped for breath, Hiro saw that even Yuki was leaning against an equally weak-kneed Shuichi as tears streamed down his face.

Hiro turned to his companion, shaking his head. "See? I told you that we were all nuts." The blonde agreed, still laughing.

"Yeah, but I already knew that," He teased, poking a finger at the snickering assembly. "Let's mingle, hm? It's probably close to 10, so I guess we should at least attempt to look like we aren't thinking dirty thoughts about each other, right?" He walked away, leaving a furiously blushing Hiro behind to gape at his back. 

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All righty, the next part is the end, beware of some...citrus elements


	5. Chapter 5

Staked  
By SailorLight22  
Chapter 5 - Who's Shy?! 

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Well, looks like this is the end of the horror, hopefully some of you have survived thus far.. I guess I should mention again that this was my first fic for Gravitation, so I really don't expect it to be very good. (crosses finger) Maybe someone will enjoy it though! Thanks for reading! 

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The rest of the party passed in relative peace, aside from Tatsuha scorching his false ass on a stray Jack O' Lantern while dancing with an overly-enthusiastic Ryuichi. Once the flames had been extinguished by an equally overeager Shuichi, Yuki had declared the party officially over, ushering the guests into their coats and out the door.

Hiro laughed helplessly, hearing the author start what promised to be a very thorough lecture on the proper use of a punchbowl in a crisis from behind the closed door. K shook his head, wondering if he should dare to mention that his place was much closer than the guitarist's apartment. Deciding to wait, he smiled at the departing guests, wishing them all a safe trip home before turning to look questioningly at the still amused redhead.

Hiro caught his look, raising an eyebrow. "So? Are we going to stand here looking at each other, or..?" He teased, his eyes belying his carefully concealed anxiety. The blonde smirked, stepping close to the other male to reply.

"I don't mind the scenery, but I can think of at least two other things I wouldn't mind seeing.." He murmured, hearing the boy's sharp breath at his tone. "Care to guess at what they might be?"

Hiro laughed breathlessly, shaking his head. "Knowing you, the first one is something dangerous, and the second is something crazy." He walked to the elevator, pressing the call button as he looked back at the tall blonde. "Coming?"

K resisted the urge to snort at his obvious choice of words, joining the boy by the doors. As soon as they parted, he stepped inside, pulling the surprised redhead forward by one hand. He reached around, hitting the ground floor button. The doors slid closed, and without preamble he backed the smaller male to the wall, capturing his lips possessively. 

After a moment of shock, the guitarist responded eagerly, winding his fingers into the man's loose hair. Neither one noticed the doors opening, or the startled gasps from the elderly couple who hurriedly turned away with scandalized whispers as the doors reclosed.

When they reached the bottom level, K pulled back, taking the boy's hand and striding quickly to the exit. Once outside, he paused. "Is you bike locked up?" He asked, smiling when the other nodded. "Good. Let's go." He led the guitarist to his car, unlocking the door and motioning him inside. Opening his own, he quickly sat down, fastening his seatbelt.

"My place all right with you?" He asked, starting the engine. Hiro nodded slightly, shivering at the man's intense look.

"That's fine, it's closer, right?" The blonde smiled sheepishly in reply, pulling away from the curb as he answered.

"Yeah, it's pretty close. That was some party, huh? Poor Yuki's going to have a mess to clean up in the morning." Hiro snorted in agreement.

"Well, at least he looked like he was enjoying himself for a minute. I don't think I've ever seen him laugh like that before.." He glanced at the older man. "Did you have fun, K? I mean, besides.." He trailed off, coloring slightly at the memory of their..previous activities.

The rest of the drive was spent in tense silence, both passenger and driver sneaking looks at the other when they thought the other wouldn't notice. Hiro smiled when he managed to catch the older man's eye, chucking at their juvinile behavior.

Soon enough, K pulled into his driveway, turning to smile at the guitarist. "Well, this is it," He said, unfastening the seatbelt as he opened the door. "It isn't the greatest, but it's home..Coming?" He teased, repeating the boy's earlier jibe. Hiro nodded, climbing out and following him up the short walk.

K unlocked the door, tugging an unresisting Hiro inside. He was grateful that he'd left the kitchen light on, allowing him to see clearly enough to navigate the dim living room and hallway while simultaneously shedding his boots and cape. Hiro also kicked off his shoes, removing his wings and placing them carefully on the couch. He fidgeted nervously, waiting for the blonde to speak.

K smiled at his nervousness, stepping close. "Are you all right?" He asked, stroking a hand through the boy's long hair gently. "I don't want you to regret.." Hiro cut him off abruptly.

"I don't regret anything, K.. I just don't know what to do with you now that I have you." He laughed at himself, raising his hands to the blonde's chest. "I feel stupid, because I've been thinking about this for a while, and now that it's really happening.." He smoothed his hands over the silky material, toying absently with the laces as he spoke. "Don't worry about it though. I want this, that's all that matters now."

The older man nodded, relieved that he hadn't rushed the guitarist into something that he wasn't ready for. He joined their hands, pressing his lips to the other's as he slowly guided him into the hall. Connecting awkwardly with the closed bedroom door, he broke away with a groan, shaking his head. "If I don't end up dead, we may actually make it to the bed," He murmured, laughing quietly. Hiro raised an eyebrow, biting his lip in mock thoughtfulness.

"I don't know, you could end up having a stroke or something.." He teased, opening the door and backing inside to avoid the man's playful swat. "Oh, nice.. You mind?" He sat on the bed, bouncing experimentally as the blonde removed his vest.

"Not at all, I was actually thinking that you'd look pretty damn good in my bed." He moved closer, placing a knee on the mattress as he leaned into the boy's personal space. "There's only one thing wrong with this picture," He mused, looking over the guitarist's slightly flushed appearance. "When I imagined it, I don't think you were wearing quite so many clothes."

Hiro laughed, undoing the top three buttons of his shirt and pulling it carefully over his head. "That better?" He asked, smiling innocently. K shook his head, tracing the line of his collarbone with a finger. 

"Not quite, but it's a start." He said, replacing the finger with his lips. "Mm, you smell good.." He mumbled against the boy's skin, nipping him gently. "Come here." He stood, pulling the other to his feet. "I want to see you, let me?" He dropped a hand to his waist, playing idly with the band of the guitarist's pants. Hiro swallowed heavily, nodding quickly. 

"You too.. Take this off?" He tugged at the blonde's shirt, untucking it impatiently and slipping his hands inside to touch the man's skin. K gasped, shedding the garment quickly and flinging it aside.

His eyes wide, Hiro followed the outline of the blonde's stomach, taking in the defined muscles and smooth skin with reverent fingers. "Jesus," He muttered, shaking his head. "Now I feel scrawny.." K laughed, pulling him in for a kiss.

He broke away with a moan, feeling the boy's insistent hands struggle with the fastening of his pants. "Hey, easy... Are you in that big of a hurry?" He teased, running his hands over the blushing redhead's back soothingly. Hiro sighed quietly, leaning his head against the taller man's chest.

"I'm sorry," He whispered, pressing his lips to the side of the American's neck. "I don't mean to rush, but I can't wait...Please?" Stepping back, he unbuttoned his own pants, kicking them off.

Meeting the stunned man's eyes, he moved back to the bed. Sitting on the edge, he reached out a hand in invitation, sliding back as K approached with a nod. Forgetting his nervousness, he allowed the man's weight to press him back to the blankets, gasping at the sensation of warm skin against his own. He arched into the contact, crying out breathlessly when the man grasped his hip and rocked against him teasingly.

Neither one knew who's hands unfastened the fly of K's pants, but both were equally happy to see them gone. K rested his weight on one arm, digging through the drawer of his nightstand. Mumbling impatiently at the clutter, he finally located the small bottle of oil he sought, moving back to cover his lover's body as he unscrewed the top.

Hiro whimpered at the first careful press of fingers against his entrance, struggling to resist the urge to pull back from the slight sting that accompanied the blonde's slow movements. As the discomfort faded, he relaxed, panting quietly as K added a second finger. The feeling of being stretched was strange, but not immediately unpleasant, and when the man curled his fingers it was all the guitarist could do to keep from screaming at the rush of pleasure he felt. Whimpering softly, he pressed back into K's touch, pleading wordlessly for more.

Sensing his eagerness, the blonde withdrew his fingers slowly, liberally coating himself with the oil. Encouraging the boy to raise his shaking legs, he pressed forward until he felt the heat of the redhead's opening against him. Leaning in for a kiss, he tried to distract Hiro from the initial pain of penetration with soothing murmurs and light caresses. When he felt the tenseness begin to leave the guitarist's muscles, he pulled back until he could watch for any sign of continued discomfort.

Seeing none, he shifted his weight cautiously, moaning quietly at the tightness that enveloped him. Hiro gasped in reply, lifting his hips in an attempt to urge the shivering blonde to move.

K hissed softly, sliding forward until he felt a slight resistance. Panting, he pressed his lips hungrily to the boy's skin, nipping gently at one nipple before soothing the sting with his tongue. Hiro made a soft sound of pleasure, running sweat-slicked hands over the man's back as he resumed his movements.

Still cautious, the American resisted the urge to simply ravish the body beneath him, keeping his thrusts in check until Hiro cried out sharply. "Please! It's all right, I want..!" He gasped, fingers digging into his lover's shoulders as a particularly deep thrust sent a rush of almost painful pleasure along his spine. "God, K.."

He tightened his grip on the man's back, bucking helplessly as K increased his pace. The feeling of the guitarist's pliant body around him was maddening, and he cast off his restraint at the pleading sound of the other's cries, driving into him urgently. He could sense that Hiro was almost at his limit, and he knew that his own need was building quickly with every thrust into the boy's willing body. Lifting him by the hips, he adjusted his movements until Hiro moaned desperately, wrapping shaking legs around his older lover's waist as he shamelessly begged for release.

"Please don't stop...You feel so good, please..!" He whispered, meeting the blonde's movements eagerly. "I'm almost..." He broke off, gasping for breath as K reached down to enclose his achingly hard arousal, stroking him firmly in cadence with his thrusts.

"I know, I can feel it.. Come for me, Hiro?" He urged, growling quietly when the redhead arched into his touch with abandon. Feeling the boy's steadily increasing shivers, he intensified his movements until Hiro cried out, his lover's name echoing loudly in the dark room as his limbs tightened around him convulsively. The sound of his impassioned voice drove the blonde into his own climax, his body wracked with jolts of indescribable pleasure.

Collapsing heavily, he listened to the boy's still pounding heart as he struggled to catch his breath. Moaning faintly, he pulled away from the guitarist's shivering body and moved to lie beside him. Hiro turned to face him, sliding close enough to drape an arm around the older man's waist with a sigh of contentment.

"I meant what I said, you know," He mumbled sleepily. "I really do love you." 

The blonde smiled, reaching for the box of tissues on the nightstand. Taking several, he ignored the boy's quiet snicker at their suspicious presence, wiping away the evidence of their passion before silencing his laughter with a slow kiss. "I believe you," He said, returning the other's embrace with a grin. "And I meant what I said too. If you aren't ready for that, it's fine for now, but I still want to have that kind of relationship with you, Hiro." 

Hiro hummed agreeably, nestling closer into his lover's arms. "I want it too," He said, resting his face against the man's neck. "Can I sleep here?" He asked, pressing a lazy kiss against the point of K's pulse. K nodded slightly, lifting himself just enough to work the blanket down as he urged the other to do the same on his side.

"Like I'd really let you leave? Dream on, pal." He yawned quietly, pulling the blankets up to cover them. "I think it would be nice to wake up beside you, so I'm afraid you're just going to have to get used to it." Hiro snorted quietly, poking the man's ribs.

"Wonderful. Now, shut up so we can see how 'nice' it is. Goodnight, you psycho.." He smirked, hearing the blonde huff with fake offense.

"Yeah, sure thing. 'Night, _angel-baby._" He snickered, proud that he only flinched a little at the guitarist's indignant bite to his shoulder. He closed his eyes, hearing the boy's breathing deepen with the first traces of sleep, and allowed himself to be drawn into what promised to be a singularly blissful rest... 

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Well, that's it folks, I shall now hide in the corner in readiness to dodge the impending onslaught of sharp and heavy things! Thanks for reading, see you when the bones mend!


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